Hag-Seed

by

Margaret Atwood

WonderBoy Character Analysis

One of the prisoners in Felix’s acting troupe, eventually selected to play Ferdinand. A handsome and charming young man, WonderBoy has been incarcerated after selling fake life insurance to credulous senior citizens. While Felix admires his ability to project false illusions, he doesn’t trust him. WonderBoy briefly falls in love with Anne-Marie while filming their scenes together, but eventually accepts her relationship with Frederick O’Nally.
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WonderBoy Character Timeline in Hag-Seed

The timeline below shows where the character WonderBoy appears in Hag-Seed. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 13. Felix Addresses the Players
Theater and The Tempest Theme Icon
Felix can already see the perfect actors for some roles: WonderBoy, a former con artist, would be a perfect Ferdinand, while the hacker, 8Handz, will make... (full context)
Chapter 21. Prospero’s Goblins
Vengeance  Theme Icon
After settling this part of the play, WonderBoy asks why Prospero inflicts such elaborate imprisonments on his enemies as well, instead of just... (full context)
Chapter 22. The Persons of the Play
Imprisonment and Marginalization Theme Icon
Ferdinand will be played by WonderBoy, who looks younger than he is. He’s been convicted for selling fake life insurance to... (full context)
Vengeance  Theme Icon
...example, he’s placed 8Handz, the talented hacker, in charge of tech and special effects and WonderBoy, who’s good at selling things, in charge of publicity skills. The chief goblins will be... (full context)
Chapter 23. Admired Miranda
Vengeance  Theme Icon
Transformation and Change Theme Icon
...Felix promises the other men would stop him. Since she’ll be working most closely with WonderBoy, he gives her some background on his insurance schemes and warns her not to be... (full context)
Chapter 25. Evil Bro Antonio
Theater and The Tempest Theme Icon
...It’s hard to create the music score when the prisoners can’t use the internet. Meanwhile, WonderBoy has indeed tried to seduce Anne-Marie; after she rebuffs him, he performs his scenes sulkily. (full context)
Chapter 28. Hag-Seed
Grief Theme Icon
WonderBoy and Anne-Marie have developed a better working relationship, although he continues to follow her around... (full context)
Chapter 30. Some Vanity of Mine Art
Theater and The Tempest Theme Icon
Grief Theme Icon
...his head warm, and which he now wears to class. When he questioned her about WonderBoy recently, she admitted that he wants to write her letters after the play is over.... (full context)
Transformation and Change Theme Icon
...turns out perfectly. Anne-Marie makes a white costume for herself and projects “rapt enchantment,” while WonderBoy is “the embodiment of yearning desire.” Felix hopes that the actor won’t be too distraught... (full context)
Chapter 40. Last Assignment
Theater and The Tempest Theme Icon
Transformation and Change Theme Icon
...too,  but she told him it was just “for the guys.” She tells Felix that WonderBoy has finally stopped pursuing her and accepted that their relationship only existed within the parameters... (full context)