Geryon’s Brother Character Analysis

Geryon’s older brother is a bully who picks on and manipulates Geryon into engaging in sexual acts with him (and keeping quiet about it) by promising Geryon a “cat’s eye” marble and other rewards. Geryon’s mother never catches on to the sexual abuse, nor does Geryon tell her about it. The abuse Geryon suffers at the hands of his brother prompts Geryon to begin work on his autobiography as an act of preserving his “inside” world as his brother preys on his “outside” world. As destructive a force as his brother was to him, Geryon also has positive associations with his brother. For example, Geryon recalls a time during high school when his brother lent Geryon a sports jacket to wear to a high school dance and complimented his appearance. As adults, Geryon and his brother appear to have repaired their relationship to some degree, since Geryon writes his brother a postcard bearing the message “Wish you were here,” during his trip to Buenos Aires. The novel reveals that Geryon’s brother grows up to be a sports broadcaster for a radio station on the mainland.