Marv Character Analysis in I Am the Messenger

Marv is Ed’s friend from childhood. At the beginning of the novel, Ed characterizes Marv as argumentative and stingy. All Marv appears to care about are his savings account, his old rundown car, and the local amateur football game. However, when the Ace of Hearts directs Ed to help Marv, Ed learns that Marv actually saves money to give to his child, whom he has never met. When they were teenagers, Marv got his girlfriend, Suzanne, pregnant and her family moved away. Ed helps Marv reunite with Suzanne and their daughter, Melinda. Afterward, Marv is incredibly grateful and becomes much more generous with Ed and their other friends.

Marv Character Timeline in I Am the Messenger

The timeline below shows where the character Marv appears in I Am the Messenger. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Purpose, Success, and Meaning Theme Icon

...bad at committing robbery. What’s worse, according to Ed, is the fact that his friend Marv’s car is running out of time in a 15-minute parking spot. Lying facedown on the... (full context)

Angry and undeterred by the bank robber’s threats, Marv continues to argue with Ed about the car and eventually shouts at the robber to... (full context)

...bank teller, whose nametag reads Misha, as the robber points the gun at her. As Marv and Ed continue to bicker, the bank robber asks, even angrier, who is still talking.... (full context)

The bank robber threatens to shoot Ed, who chastises Marv for calling attention to him. The bank robber yells at Ed to shut up, but... (full context)

The bank robber asks which one of the hostages is Ed, and Ed points at Marv. Marv, unafraid of the incompetent robber, realizes he recognizes the man. Ed, Audrey, and Ritchie... (full context)

Heroism, Sainthood, and Ordinariness Theme Icon

...sees the police arrive and his getaway car speed off. The robber responds by demanding Marv hand over his own car keys, and Marv complies. As the robber flees, he drops... (full context)

...bank filled with people as stupid as Ed and his friends and trying to start Marv’s horrible car. As the cops lead the robber away, Ed continues to antagonize Marv about... (full context)

...his friends to the police station for questioning. As they leave, a police officer tells Marv to get a new car, if he has the money. Marv responds that he has... (full context)

As Ed and Marv leave the police station, they are swarmed by reporters wanting to interview Ed. Ed wonders... (full context)

...life. He plays cards with his friends a few times a week. His friends are Marv, who never shuts up, Ritchie, who is quiet and has an awful tattoo, and Audrey,... (full context)

...the sender must know him, because they clearly know he plays cards. However, he thinks Marv’s too stupid and Ritchie isn’t the type to scheme like this. He also doesn’t think... (full context)

...Ed tells his friends about the mail and asks if any of them are responsible. Marv answers that he’s too dumb, and Ritchie says that he himself is too lazy. (full context)

Marv gloats over winning the card game. Ed details how Marv lives at home and works... (full context)

...courage until Wednesday around midnight. He waits on the dim, rundown street and remembers that Marv used to have a girlfriend who lived here, before she and her family suddenly moved... (full context)

Marv asks Ed what happened after he received the playing card in the mail. Ed says... (full context)

...boss initially refuses but then agrees when Ed reminds him that he’s a good employee. Marv calls Ed later to ask him why he is not at the card game. Ed... (full context)

The phone rings. With dread, Ed answers it, but it turns out the caller is Marv. Marv berates Ed again for missing the card game. Ed tells him to stop because... (full context)

...paranoid, eventually realizing he is waiting for the next card to arrive. He walks to Marv’s place and sees Marv hanging out with other friends. He thinks about how none of... (full context)

...normal routine of playing cards, driving his cab, and practicing for the soccer game with Marv. Marv still lives with his parents and saves most of his money in the bank.... (full context)

...he doesn’t know. Ed has a streak of good luck and wins several card games. Marv keeps rambling on about the soccer game. Audrey continues to treat Ed carefully and awkwardly,... (full context)

Later, Ed is at Marv’s house. Marv realizes with disgust that Ed has brought along the Doorman. Marv hates the... (full context)

On Sunday, Ed, Marv, Ritchie, and Audrey are all in church. Ed sees that the church is old and... (full context)

Ed’s friends decide to spray paint the news about the Sunday event around town. Marv also delights in other immature schemes, such as stealing barbecues from their friends. They gather... (full context)

...the bouncy castle, and the barbeques. Then many more guests arrive. Ed asks to borrow Marv’s car so he can pick up Milla, even though Marv teases him for always making... (full context)

...brother is there. Lastly, he thanks a certain special person. Ed silently prays for Audrey, Marv, Ma, Ritchie, and his late father. He also prays for help in his missions. (full context)

...his couch when he hears knocking at the door and assumes it’s Keith and Daryl. Marv walks in. He asks Ed how he got injured. Ed says he was randomly attacked... (full context)

Ed and Marv go to breakfast at a cheap café. The waitress hassles the boys while they attempt... (full context)

...and Jay. As the second half begins, Ed’s team manages to get the upper hand. Marv goads Ed to attack Mimi. In response, Ed encourages Mimi to run at him. On... (full context)

Marv forces Ed to come to the team’s victory party because the players have voted Ed... (full context)

Marv smugly wins the card game. He starts talking about the upcoming Christmas game and wonders... (full context)

...but she has to leave early to see her boyfriend. Ritchie arrives on his bike. Marv is late, and Ritchie speculates he won’t come because of their deal that he has... (full context)

...Ed can tell Audrey doesn’t love the boyfriend. After Audrey and the boyfriend leaves, Ed, Marv, and Ritchie attend a community bonfire on Main Street. There, Ed spots Angie Carusso and... (full context)

Ed returns home to find Ritchie and Marv asleep outside. He wakes Ritchie up and tells him it is time to go home,... (full context)

Ed settles Ritchie on the couch and Marv in Ed’s own bed. He collects his cards from his nightstand. He sits at his... (full context)

...looks up the other titles in his movie catalog. The movie Cat Ballou stars Lee Marvin, whose name reminds Ed of Marv. The movie The Suitcase was directed by Pablo Sanchez,... (full context)

...to go by the order of the names on the card, which would be Ritchie, Marv, and then Audrey. He has no idea what Ritchie could need, so he goes to... (full context)

...he should do. The knowledge tears Ed apart inside. He envisions his three friends, Ritchie, Marv, and Audrey, and knows the Ace of Hearts will cut into all of them like... (full context)

With Ritchie on the right path, Ed considers the next mission, Marv. He does not know what Marv could possibly need, with all his money and his... (full context)

Ed considers how he will discover what exactly Marv needs. He considers arguing with Marv, but he knows this may cause Marv to storm... (full context)

...two difficult missions left to complete with his closest friends. He is scared of letting Marv and Audrey down but takes courage in his past successes. (full context)

...job search is going. Ritchie says he hasn’t found anything yet but will keep looking. Marv mocks Ritchie for looking for a job but apologizes when Ritchie appears hurt. After the... (full context)

Marv hesitantly asks Ed how much money he needs. Ed responds by yelling at Marv for... (full context)

Marv drives Ed to the poor part of town. He points out the home of Suzanne... (full context)

Marv admits that he doesn’t even know if he has a daughter or a son. He... (full context)

Marv has not gone to Suzanne’s new address because her father threatened to kill him if... (full context)

Marv calls Ed later and says they will go to Suzanne’s house tomorrow. Ed offers to... (full context)

A few moments later, Marv comes flying out the door. Henry Boyd, Suzanne’s father, is beating Marv as he scrambles... (full context)

Ed approaches and attempts to pick Marv up off the ground. He looks up and sees Suzanne standing in the doorway with... (full context)

Ed drives the bleeding Marv home and Marv thanks Ed for his help. Weeks pass and their friendship contains the... (full context)

...for obeying him. Suzanne asks Ed if he hates her for what she did to Marv. Ed says he doesn’t, because Suzanne was young, and her father was controlling. Ed says... (full context)

Ed drops Suzanne and Melinda off at a playground and then picks Marv up at work. Ed waits on the hood of his cab while Marv cautiously approaches... (full context)

Ed can’t sleep that night because he is still thinking about how Marv looked holding hands with his daughter and how afterward, Marv hugged him. Ed knows that... (full context)

Before Ed leaves for Audrey’s house the next night, Marv arrives at Ed’s place. He asks Ed if he still needs the money he asked... (full context)

...he went to for the mission. Lastly, they drive past Ritchie’s house, the playground where Marv met his daughter, and Audrey’s place. Ed wishes he could stay forever in the happy... (full context)

...cinema. He sees all this in the mirror, as well as Ritchie by the river, Marv in the park, and Audrey in the three minutes they danced together. The man asks... (full context)