Donnie Darko

1. Character List Donnie Darko

2. Donnie Darko • Very intelligent • Hallucinates (Frank, portal, ‘spears’ in people’s chest) • Is taking medication in the ‘alternate’ timeline, unclear whether he took them in the ‘real’ one • Sees ‘Frank’ his best friend – “I have to obey him, he saved my life. I have to obey him or I’ll be left all alone and then I won’t be able to figure out what this is all about, I won’t be able to know his master plan.” • Tells Dr Thurman that “Frank is going to kill” and that “Frank says time’s up” when he is under hypnosis • Paranoid schizophrenic? • Affected by the prophecy • Special powers?? • Sees a therapist, Dr Thurman • Radical thinker, says what’s on his mind • Preoccupied with the idea of ‘dying alone’ • Dating Gretchen Ross (in alternate timeline) • Killed by a jet engine (real timeline) • “I hope that when the world comes to an end I can breathe a sigh of relief, because there will be so much to look forward to.”

3. Frank • Tells Donnie the prophecy • Donnie is the only one who can see him • In reality he is a real person, friend of Donnie’s sister Elizabeth • Hit Gretchen with his car • Shot by Donnie • “Why are you wearing that stupid man suit?” • Directs Donnie in what he needs to do: shows him the portal, where to get a gun, flood the school, burn down Jim C’s house • Discusses time travel with Donnie

4. Gretchen • New to Middlesex • Living under an alias as mum was stabbed 4 times by her step dad • Her death marks the ‘end of the world’ countdown as told in the prophecy from Frank to Donnie • Dating Donnie in the alternative timeline • Picked on by other kids at school (Ricky and Seth) • Dies in the alternative timeline, hit by a car • Donnie saves her in ‘reality’ by changing the timeline • “What if you could go back in time and take all those hours of pain and darkness and replace them with something better?”

5. Rose Darko • Donnie’s mum • Gets called a ‘bitch’ by Donnie • Develops a better relationship with him in the alternative timeline but not in the real one as Donnie dies before this can happen • Accepting of the fact that her son may have a mental illness -“How does it feel to have a whacko for a son?” “It feels wonderful.”

6. Roberta Sparrow (Grandma Death) • Wrote The Philosophy of Time Travel • Used to be a nun • Tells Donnie “Every living creature on this earth dies alone” • Regularly checks her mailbox, perhaps looking for the letter Donnie sent her in the ‘real timeline’? • Believes people have predestined pathways

7. Karen Pomeroy • Donnie’s English teacher • Knows that he’s smart • Gets Gretchen to sit next to him – “Sit next to the boy you think is the cutest” • Teaches Graham Green’s The Destructors that Donnie acts out when he floods the school – “Destruction is a form of creation” • Is fired • “Tell them that everything is going to be just fine” – when Donnie asks her what to say when other kids ask about her; Donnie says something very similar to Frank’s friend after he shoots him • Tells Donnie that ‘Cellar Door’ is the most beautiful combination of words in the English language – he then goes to Roberta Sparrow’s cellar door where, along with Gretchen, he is caught by Ricky and Seth

8. Jim Cunningham • The opposite to Donnie – ruled by his fear to the point where he has turned ‘fear’ into his job • Donnie sets his house on fire • Is called the ‘antichrist’ by Donnie • Police find a secret room in his house that contains child porn • His book Attitudinal Beliefs and his films are taught in school • Is revered by Kitty Farmer (PE teacher)

9. Seth/Ricky (bullies) • Bullies others • Ruled by chaos (nihilistic) • Seth pulls a knife on Donnie at school as he believes Donnie told the principal that he flooded the school • Take drugs at school • Responsible for Gretchen’s death • Had broken into Roberta Sparrow’s cellar which is where Donnie and Gretchen find them

10. Cherita Chen • Is teased, says ‘chut up’ instead of ‘shut up’ and is told to ‘go back to China’ • Donnie sticks up for her • Is in love with Donnie • Resilient – participates in the talent contest because she wants to • Donnie tells her “I promise that one day everything will be better for you”

11. Kitty Farmer (PE teacher) • Very religious • Doesn’t listen to Donnie and thinks less of his family because of Donnie’s behaviour • Reveres Jim Cunningham and won’t listen to reason when he is caught with child porn • Conservative thinker • Doesn’t like Ms Pomeroy’s educational methods and pushes to get her fired • Encourages teaching that doesn’t push the envelope • She is the reason that Rose Darko has to go with Donnie’s little sister and leave her family alone, because she has to support Jim Cunningham in his court appearance.

12. Professor Monnitoff (science t) • In a relationship with Karen Pomeroy • Donnie’s science teacher and gives him the book on time travel – “Don’t tell anyone I gave you this” • Is limited in what he can discuss with Donnie or he will lose his job • “If we were able to see our destinies manifest themselves visually then we would be given a choice, to betray our chosen destinies, and the mere fact this choice exists would make all preformed destiny come to an end” “Not if you travel within God’s channel”

13. Dr Thurman (psychiatrist) • Supportive and caring of Donnie • Is the first person Donnie tells about Frank • Reveals that Donnie is a paranoid schizophrenic to his parents • Is affected when she wakes up from the ‘alternative’ timeline in the real one • Attempts to help Donnie work out what it is Frank wants and who he is going to kill