Suzanne Boyd Character Analysis in I Am the Messenger

Suzanne Boyd is Marv’s ex-girlfriend and the mother of his child, Melinda. She used to sneak out of her house in the poor part of town to be with Marv, but when she became pregnant, her strict father demanded that their family move away and that she never see Marv again. Suzanne hates herself for obeying her father and leaving Marv, but later she makes the courageous choice to defy her father and unite Marv with Melinda. This shows that while one may not be able to control or undo their past mistakes, they can nonetheless decide to make the moral choice in the present.

Suzanne Boyd Character Timeline in I Am the Messenger

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

...Marv tells Ed not to think so much, like Marv used to obsess over his girlfriend who suddenly left him. Ed feels like he should ask more questions about Marv’s life,... (full context)

Purpose, Success, and Meaning Theme Icon

Marv drives Ed to the poor part of town. He points out the home of Suzanne Boyd, his ex-girlfriend who suddenly moved. Marv reveals that the reason she and her family... (full context)

...that he doesn’t even know if he has a daughter or a son. He has Suzanne’s new address only because he begged one of her friends to give it to him.... (full context)

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

Marv calls Ed later and says they will go to Suzanne’s house tomorrow. Ed offers to drive them there in his cab. The next night, they... (full context)

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

...approaches and attempts to pick Marv up off the ground. He looks up and sees Suzanne standing in the doorway with the child. Henry shouts at Suzanne to go back inside... (full context)

...and the secretary tells him someone called and requested Ed’s cab specifically. She gives Ed Suzanne’s address. Ed decides to go straight to Suzanne without calling Marv. (full context)

Ed arrives at Suzanne’s house and she gets into the cab along with her daughter. Ed asks the child... (full context)

Ed drops Suzanne and Melinda off at a playground and then picks Marv up at work. Ed waits... (full context)