All The Lovely Bad Ones

Travis is the main protagonist of All the Lovely Bad Ones, a young schoolboy of almost 13. The novel follows Travis’s point of view. The novel is thus firmly situated in Travis’s experience and perspective. As the main character in the novel, Travis does not ever describe his own physical traits to the reader. Hahn describes him as “About five six, maybe seven. Not all that tall” (6). Authors often use deliberately vague descriptors when writing about their main characters so that readers, especially younger ones, can more easily identify with the lead. In using what is effectively a blank slate as a character, authors can draw readers into the narrative.

Travis’s vague physical descriptors echo his character traits as well. Unlike Corey, Travis is not particularly good at storytelling. His identity is bound up in Corey’s; they are almost indistinguishable from each other, both equally mischievous, playful, and stubborn. Travis’s character arc throughout the novel revolves around him learning how to put others before himself. By learning how to take responsibility for his own actions, he begins to realize that the well-being of others, namely the shadow children, can be negatively impacted by his selfish decisions.