The Street Lawyer

Although Michael Brock, the protagonist of the novel, is a dynamic character, his changes are slower and slighter than those of an archetypal hero. Most of his physical, domestic, and occupational aspects change drastically within the first quarter of the novel, but his mentality, a key factor in Michael’s transformation, takes much more time. In fact, readers do not get any solid insight into his character until Chapter 6, when he visits his parents. As a side note during the golf match with his father, Michael offers this glimpse into his childhood:

“Like my brothers, I was not born with a social conscience. We gave offerings to the church because the Bible strongly suggests it. We paid taxes to the government because the law requires it. Surely, somewhere in the midst of all this giving some good would be done, and we had a hand in it […] [T]here was no money to be made by honest people. We were taught to be productive, and the more success we attained, the more society would benefit, in some way. Set goals, work hard, play fair, achieve prosperity. (57)

Although Michael Brock, the protagonist of the novel, is a dynamic character, his changes are slower and slighter than those of an archetypal hero.