Devin Fussa

English II
Mr. King
5/28/15
Character Paper Reflection
Some stories seem to hit readers on a deeper level; they seem to speak to the
audience directly. It is these stories that are the hardest to find, the hardest to write. One
such story is The Loudest Voice. This story depicted a criminal by the name of Ray
Crest who with the help of his partner Ferret tried to rob a bank. The story reveals
Rays disturbed past and is struggle with the voices in his head. The characterization of
Ray helps highlight the internal struggle we all face at some time in our lives. It is the
struggle of identity, of the choices humanity is forced to make. The papers strong use of
figurative devices such as characterization and symbolism help the author write an
excellent story that reflects on the monster inside of us all.
The author utilizes symbolism to develop the story. In one scene, Ray visualizes a
memory of him killing his own wife. This flashback shows how the voices overtook him,
controlled him. In a fit of rage, he stabbed his wife with a kitchen knife. This knife is
symbolic of the evil inside Ray, of the influence of the voices. This knife represents the
monster inside of him, the part of him without control. By using the knife to symbolize
the ruin that is Rays life, the author gives readers a glimpse into Rays troubled past and
shows the true nature of his character.
While this paper was written well overall, the use of imagery could have been
more profound. Besides a descriptive first paragraph, the author used little imagery. This
story was largely dialogue and description was scarce. On the second page, Ray takes the

Devin Fussa
English II
Mr. King
5/28/15
bank hostage. More imagery could have been implemented into this section. The author
should have not only enhanced his description of the fearful civilians at the bank, but also
that of Ray and Ferret. How were they acting? What was funning through their heads?
Some description was used, but more would have generally improved this story.
The authors best literary element was the use of characterization. The voices in
Rays head really helped show his internal struggles and the nature of his character. Over
time, the reader sees that the voices are the source of Rays malice, of his mistakes. He
even argues with the. This is my destiny now. You have no power over me. His own
mind drives him to madness, but represents the struggle of identity we all face. In the
end, Ray gets himself shot (on purpose) to silence his demons. Between the mental and
physical description of Ray, the author paints the picture of a wonderfully complex
character.
This story was very well written and is a great commentary on the actions and
thoughts of man. In a way, this story can relate to everyone because we all have flaws.
Its our choice however, of whether or not we let those flaws define us. Identity and
choices are struggles in the everyday life of humanity, but making the right decisions can
define us for the better. By using characterization and symbolism, the author wrote a
story that truly makes us ponder our conscience and how we deal with the demons we all
face.