Martina Crowe Character Analysis in The Mysterious Benedict Society

Martina Crowe is a cruel and self-centered student at the Institute. She works as a Messenger, helping Mr. Curtain transmit mind-controlling messages to the public with the help of his Whisperer machine. She takes pride in the status and privileges afforded by her position, and she takes an immediate dislike to Reynie and Sticky when they demonstrate their intelligence in class. Since the role of Messenger is given to the Institute’s top students, she perceives Reynie and Sticky as a threat and seeks to undermine them. When Sticky is caught cheating, he (at Reynie’s advice) lies to Mr. Curtain that Martina abused her Messenger status to coerce him to cheat. Rather than punish Martina for this, Mr. Curtain rewards her by promoting her to Executive.

Martina Crowe Character Timeline in The Mysterious Benedict Society

The timeline below shows where the character Martina Crowe appears in The Mysterious Benedict Society. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...struggling academically. The four are in a class taught by S.Q. Pedalian and a Messenger, Martina Crowe, when Jackson arrives and calls two Messengers out of class. In this same class,... (full context)

...after class. They exchange a nervous look, worried that they are expected of something, and Martina hisses at them angrily as she leaves. S.Q. tells the boys (tripping over his words... (full context)

Reynie asks why Martina is so angry at them, and S.Q. laughs that their perfect scores are showing her... (full context)

At lunch, Reynie and Sticky tell Constance and Kate about their encounters with S.Q. and Martina. Kate is furious about how Martina is treating them, but Reynie is distracted by Constance’s... (full context)

...Sticky’s academic success, then he is dismayed by the glares that their success inspires from Martina and other students. Kate and Constance continue to fail the Institute’s constant quizzes. After classes,... (full context)

...the Waiting Room, who still looks distraught. Nervous and distracted, Sticky falls asleep in class. Martina gets him in trouble, and in revenge, Kate ties Martina’s shoelaces to her desk. Constance... (full context)

...him to the Waiting Room while the other children boo and jeer, including a smug Martina. Constance looks terrified, and Reynie shares her fear. If Sticky reveals their secrets to Mr.... (full context)

...he cheated. He has memorized a speech explaining that he was pressured to cheat by Martina Crowe, and he obeyed because she is a Messenger. Mr. Curtain is outraged, but he... (full context)

...trouble, but Reynie feels too guilty to be happy. By supper, no one has seen Martina all day, and Reynie feels that everything he does gets someone hurt. Sticky also feels... (full context)

...to becoming Messengers, and then it is revealed why a new spot has opened up: Martina comes in with Jackson and Jillson, dressed as an Executive. (full context)

...Sticky to speak with Mr. Curtain. Mr. Curtain tells the boys that he has made Martina an Executive partly because of what Reynie said about Constance: keep those you don’t trust... (full context)

...that she needs no one’s help. Hiding in a vent, Kate overhears S.Q. Pedalian bringing Martina Crowe to a tutorial meeting with Mr. Curtain. She follows them to eavesdrop on this... (full context)

...Curtain assures him that the Improvement will take place the day after tomorrow. He stations Martina on brainsweeping duty, but S.Q. interrupts to ask if they should be asking people’s permission... (full context)

...Sticky explain that S.Q. accidentally destroyed all of Kate’s footprints on the shore. Jackson and Martina approach their table. Jackson holds up the marble Kate threw last night, and he demands... (full context)

Jackson and Martina return to the table. Jackson spit out a piece of licorice when he found the... (full context)

The boys go into the Whispering Gallery, passing Martina Crowe on their way in. Reynie is drawn to the Whisperer, but he resists. Mr.... (full context)

...the Whispering Gallery. She enters the secret passage, only to find her path blocked by Martina Crowe. Kate turns and runs away, leaving Martina confused. Jillson joins Martina, and both Executives... (full context)

...building, but the two Executives (one of whom is S.Q.) catch up to them, and Martina, Jackson, and Jillson run out of the building toward them. Kate keeps running up a... (full context)

...drops the bucket onto Jackson. She lassos the flagpole and starts climbing up with Constance. Martina is right behind them, and when Kate reaches the top of the pole, she sees... (full context)