Martin Addison Character Analysis in Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Martin is a tall, gangly classmate of Simon's whom Simon doesn't know well at the beginning of the novel. However, Martin quickly reveals himself to be a dangerous enemy: when he stumbles upon Simon's secret email address and discovers that Simon is gay, Martin blackmails Simon to help him win over Abby. Until the end of the novel, Martin refuses to call what he's doing blackmail and doesn't understand why it's such a big deal. Although Simon agrees to set him up with Abby, Martin botches every chance he has to look cool for her. Over the several months when Simon, Martin, and Abby are hanging out together, Simon is torn between feeling enraged and vulnerable at Martin's blackmail and wondering if Martin is actually becoming a friend. However, when Abby decisively rejects Martin right before Christmas break, Martin retaliates by posting online that Simon is gay and wants to have sex with any interested guys at school. When school resumes, Martin is horrified to see the homophobic bullying that Simon suffers after being forcibly outed. When Martin tries to apologize, he again mentions that he didn't think coming out would be such a big deal. Simon refuses to accept Martin's apology and makes it clear that Martin took away Simon's ability to control his own coming-out experience. Martin finally writes Simon an email explaining that his brother came out over the summer and their parents made a big deal out of it in a positive way, which made Martin feel weird. Martin was also overcome by his feelings for Abby and felt that blackmailing Simon was the only way to get what he wanted. However, Martin understands that he did an awful thing to Simon and says that if he had the opportunity to do it again, he'd just blackmail Simon into being friends with him.

Martin Addison Quotes in Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

The Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda quotes below are all either spoken by Martin Addison or refer to Martin Addison. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

“I actually think people would be cool about it,” Martin says. “You should be who you are.”

I don't even know where to begin with that. Some straight kid who barely knows me, advising me on coming out.

Related Characters: Simon Spier (speaker), Martin Addison (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 3

Explanation and Analysis:

“It is definitely annoying that straight (and white, for that matter) is the default, and that the only people who have to think about their identity are the ones who don't fit that mold.”

Related Characters: Blue / Bram (speaker), Simon Spier, Martin Addison

Page Number and Citation: 147

Explanation and Analysis:

“And you know what? You don't get to say it's not a big thing. This is a big fucking thing, okay? This was supposed to be—this is mine. I'm supposed to decide when and where and who knows and how I want to say it.”

Related Characters: Simon Spier (speaker), Martin Addison

Page Number and Citation: 196

Explanation and Analysis:

“It's just, you know. I get that you were in a difficult position. But you don't get to make the decisions about my love life. I choose who I date.” She shrugs. “I would think you would understand that.”

Related Characters: Abby Suso (speaker), Simon Spier, Martin Addison

Page Number and Citation: 253

Explanation and Analysis:

It's weird, because of all the things I feel guilty about, it never occurred to me to feel guilty about Abby. But I'm a fucking idiot. Because who you like can't be forced or persuaded or manipulated. If anyone knows that, it's me.

I'm a shitty friend.

Related Characters: Simon Spier (speaker), Martin Addison, Abby Suso

Page Number and Citation: 254-55

Explanation and Analysis:

Martin Addison Character Timeline in Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

The timeline below shows where the character Martin Addison appears in Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Simon and Martin are sitting together backstage when Martin admits that he read Simon's email—apparently, Simon left his... (full context)

...he has to wait until after rehearsal to see if Blue has written him back. Martin interrupts Simon's thoughts to say again that Simon should come out and just be himself,... (full context)

Simon is enraged, and then it clicks—Martin is blackmailing him. Martin doesn't seem to understand why this is a problem and asks... (full context)

Family, Change, and Growing Up Theme Icon

...Tegan and Sara, and heads out for a walk. He thinks it makes sense that Martin is into Abby, because every "geeky straight boy" is. The fall air helps Simon calm... (full context)

...why Leah hates Abby—Nick has a very obvious crush on Abby. Simon thinks that helping Martin woo Abby might actually be a good thing if it restores equilibrium in his friend... (full context)

Simon thinks the worst thing about Martin blackmailing him is that he can't bring it up with Blue. Though they don't talk... (full context)

Simon avoids Martin all week and feels cowardly for doing so, even though he's already decided to help... (full context)

...and calls Alice. Simon tries to participate in the conversation, but he's distracted thinking about Martin and wondering if Blue thinks he's a fake since he’s dated girls in the past.... (full context)

A week after Martin and Simon's first conversation, Martin runs into Simon at lunch and asks to sit at... (full context)

Days pass, and Simon says nothing to Abby. He does his best to avoid Martin by sticking close to Nick and Leah. One morning, Nora asks if something is up... (full context)

On Thursday, Simon gets to rehearsal early, so he steps outside to listen to music. Martin joins him and accuses Simon of avoiding him. He promises he's not going to show... (full context)

...hour across town. All the black kids at school have to do this. Simon asks Martin, who's sitting nearby, if he's going to Garrett's Halloween party the next day. In his... (full context)

...African and they ended up in the U.S. thanks to slavery. Simon stops talking, and Martin awkwardly jumps up to get people more drinks. Simon muses that he and Leah don't... (full context)

Abby pulls Nick up to dance. Martin jumps up too and insists that everyone needs to admire his dancing, which is extremely... (full context)

...smashed pumpkins and toilet paper littering the sidewalk. Abby tells Simon that earlier that night, Martin brought up homecoming several times as though he was trying to ask her to the... (full context)

...multiple times before Halloween. Now, he's just mortified by how much he loved wearing dresses. Martin enters the classroom, a cheerleading uniform barely covering his tall frame. He even stuffed the... (full context)

...country music theme for the junior class. Simon loves it. At lunch, Simon pointedly avoids Martin and sits down in the middle of an argument between Leah and Garrett. Nick sits... (full context)

...He thinks about saying something to see if Cal is Blue, but decides against it. Martin slides in next to Simon and quietly says that Abby turned him down when he... (full context)

...finally realizes how weird it's been without her. Simon's phone buzzes with a text from Martin, immediately tanking Simon's mood. Martin mentions that his brother is home, and Simon can't tell... (full context)

...for him to say. She immediately deems her reply bitchy, and Simon plays along. However, Martin hears Simon jokingly call Abby a "stealth bitch" and takes major offense. Simon thinks it's... (full context)

...person in the world." Later, Abby tries to ask Simon where his mind is, but Martin interrupts. He mentions that he'd like to introduce Simon to his brother, though he looks... (full context)

On Friday night, Simon sits across from Abby and Martin at Waffle House. Martin asks Abby all sorts of silly questions, all while seeming unbelievably... (full context)

The following Friday, Abby and Simon arrive at the Waffle House first. Martin arrives a few minutes later, promptly destroys Abby's house of sugar packets, and announces he... (full context)

...feels strangely electric and excited. They listen to Leah's birthday mix and discuss that while Martin is cute, he's not Abby's type or Simon's type. At a red light, Simon thinks... (full context)

...to tell Nick and Leah he's gay, as he fears they won't recognize him afterwards. Martin texts about going to Waffle House again, which Simon ignores, and he thinks he hates... (full context)

...he's gay this past week, and tries to not think about how flirtatious Blue is. Martin walks onstage in a nightgown and curlers, and Ms. Albright calls the group to order.... (full context)

...When the group finally heads back to the auditorium, Simon notices that both Cal and Martin have been watching him. Martin angrily pulls Simon aside and accuses Simon of trying to... (full context)

...makes sly references to Blue. Nora explains she already reported it, and Simon knows that Martin did it. He hopes Blue hasn't seen it. (full context)

...Nora joins him in the car after a few minutes, and Simon tells her that Martin, Carter Addison's brother, is the one who posted on creeksecrets. He briefly explains that Martin... (full context)

...in his locker, though he feels a sense of dread at the thought of seeing Martin. As Simon is walking up the stairs, a football player grabs Simon's cheeks and makes... (full context)

Things seem okay at rehearsal until Martin suddenly stops singing. Simon follows Martin's gaze to the back of the auditorium, where two... (full context)

Simon feels surprisingly good until he gets to his car. Martin is leaning against it and wants to apologize. He insists he didn't know that people... (full context)

...headset. After a minute, Ms. Albright fetches Simon and calls him to a dressing room. Martin is already there. Ms. Albright explains that someone altered the cast list in the atrium... (full context)

While washing his makeup off that afternoon, it suddenly hits Simon that Blue could be Martin—he shares a name with former president Martin Van Buren. Simon thinks through what he knows... (full context)

...it even though things are already spinning. Simon finds himself telling the group about the Martin fiasco, but Peter leans forward and asks Simon if he's in high school. Simon admits... (full context)

...eyeliner, Simon asks if everything is okay. After a minute, Abby asks what happened with Martin. Martin already told her what happened. Simon says he didn't tell anyone about the blackmail... (full context)

...gives Simon a ridiculous bouquet and asks on the way home if he's friends with Martin. Simon feels blindsided by Abby's anger. He gets that nobody can be forced or manipulated... (full context)

...suddenly realizes that every email from Blue is time-stamped, and most were sent while Simon, Martin, and Cal were in rehearsal in the auditorium, where the internet is blocked—so Blue can’t... (full context)

Martin writes Simon an apology email. He says he can't stop thinking about what Simon said... (full context)

Martin starts by saying he's not homophobic and thinks gay people are awesome. His brother came... (full context)

...Georgia. As Simon goes to the passenger side, the car next to him turns on. Martin is inside. Simon just looks at him and thinks that he hasn't replied to Martin’s... (full context)