Sheriff Arthur J. Lux Character Analysis in In the Lake of the Woods

The local sheriff near Lake of the Woods who is responsible for investigating Kathy’s disappearance. Lux remains largely neutral during his investigation, especially when compared with his colleague, Vincent Pearson. Nevertheless, he seems to become suspicious of John’s role in Kathy’s disappearance toward the end of the novel, and obtains a court order allowing him to dig up the land around John’s cottage in the hopes of finding Kathy’s body.

Sheriff Arthur J. Lux Character Timeline in In the Lake of the Woods

The timeline below shows where the character Sheriff Arthur J. Lux appears in In the Lake of the Woods. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Vietnam, Authorship, Interpretation Theme Icon

...good teakettle. Vincent Pearson, a part-time detective, insists that John “did something ugly,” but Arthur Lux, the sheriff, insists that Vincent is only a “theory man”—Arthur, who deals in facts, concludes... (full context)

After Kathy’s disappearance, the County Sheriff Art Lux flies in from Baudette, a town near Lake of the Woods, and sets up a... (full context)

Lux tells John that they haven’t found Kathy, and that it may take a while to... (full context)

Lux continues to ask John questions. He asks John for basic information about Kathy—age, height, etc.... (full context)

...be hiking. He also admits to drinking in the evening—five or six drinks. Vinny presses Lux, and Lux asks John why he didn’t check immediately to see if the boat was... (full context)

Lux asks John if he and Kathy had argued, and mentions John’s campaign, and the recent... (full context)

Lux asks John one more question before he and Vinny leave: why did John unplug his... (full context)

Evil, Human Nature, and Freedom Theme Icon

After Vinny and Lux leave, John hears Claude and Ruth in the kitchen, making breakfast. John asks Claude why... (full context)

Appearance, the Unknowable, and Magic Theme Icon

...out into the living room, where Claude is sitting playing solitaire. Claude tells him that Lux checked in and said that he’d arranged for extra boats to explore the lake. He... (full context)

John stops at the Texaco station, where Lux is drinking coffee. Lux tells him that he doesn’t have much to report, except that... (full context)

...says she needs to take a shower. While she does so, John tries to imagine Lux calling him with good news, or Kathy walking into the room. His fantasies don’t help... (full context)

...Ruth and Claude are waiting. John introduces Pat to both of them, and then calls Lux. Lux tells him that there’s no news, and makes a sound that could be either... (full context)

...look out into the distance. John thinks that everyone is suspicious of him: Vincent Pearson, Lux, and the whole state of Minnesota. That’s the risk of living life as a magic... (full context)

...Claude walk toward the fire, John sees that the men sitting there are Vincent and Lux. Lux and Vincent shake hands with Pat, and Lux hands John a beer. Vincent points... (full context)

Everyone gathers around the fire: John, Pat, Claude, Vincent, Lux, and at least six other people. Lux introduces everyone to these new men, but John... (full context)

John notices Pat and Lux talking quietly to one another. He contemplates telling them “secrets” about himself: the teakettle and... (full context)

At 8 pm, Art Lux calls the cottage. After speaking to Pat, he tells John that the search for Kathy... (full context)

After speaking to Lux, Claude explains to John that the police want to look around John’s cottage, on the... (full context)

...Rasmussen insists that John didn’t kill Kathy, because he loved her—just like Claude loves Ruth. Lux insists that he doesn’t make guesses. Colonel William V. Wilson says that he wishes “this... (full context)

...am and John is riding in Claude’s boat, the day after Claude told him about Lux’s plan to search the cottage grounds. He is about three miles away from the cottage,... (full context)

...the radio in the boat and speaks into it. Claude’s voice answers. Claude says that Lux and Vincent are monitoring the radio, and possibly listening right now. He adds that police... (full context)

...that Kathy was unhappy in any way. Perhaps, Kee says, Kathy was a great actress. Lux says that he never found anything in Lake of the Woods that incriminated John, and... (full context)

Arthur Lux agrees with Vincent that something doesn’t add up about Kathy disappearance. He says that John... (full context)

...after John’s disappearance, and that he and John developed a close trust for one another. Lux says that John communicated by radio for a while after he left the cottage. Ruth... (full context)

...maps John bought, and argues that John wouldn’t have killed himself after buying such things. Lux notes that John didn’t leave a will, and that he didn’t seem particularly upset after... (full context)