Within Fallen Through, there are a variety of characters—some good, some bad, but out of all of the “main characters” that are involved with the primary narrative of Fallen Through, there is only one person in the entire novel that does not lie. This character was Iris.
When discussing literary devices, characterisation is often overlooked and not discussed. I’d personally like to challenge this stigma as I purposefully put a lot of thought into all of my characters, and how they spoke, thought and behaved.
Iris was one of the only characters that is directly involved with Della and Tyler’s journey that tells Della the truth. In three separate scenarios, we find out about Tyler’s questionable behaviour through Iris. Although she is initially is written as a villain and threat to Tyler and Della’s relationship, we learn that the only reason we don’t like her is because she says it how it is—without the rose coloured glasses.
Iris shatters the delusional reality that Della lives in and tries her hardest to stop Tyler dragging Della down with him. She truly is one of, if not, the only hero within the novel; she is flawed, but she has a good soul and Della is lucky to be friends with her.
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