Good People

Protagonist

Lane Dean Jr.

Antagonist

none

Foil

Sheri Fisher

Plot 

Lane and Sheri sit by a lake trying to decide what to do about her possible pregnancy.
Lane wants to do “the right thing,” but he feels stuck and overwhelmed.
Most of the story happens in Lane’s mind.

Climax

Lane realizes that he truly cares about Sheri and wants to act from love, not fear.
This moment shows he is trying to be a genuinely good person.

Internal conflict 

Lane battles with himself.
He wants to be responsible, but he is scared and unsure what the right choice is.

External Conflict

Lane and Sheri facing the real-life problem of an unplanned pregnancy.

Theme

• Doing the “right thing” is complicated.

• Goodness is not about perfection; it’s about trying.

• Moral decisions can be painful and confusing.

Cognitive dissonance

he wants to see himself as a good, moral person, but he’s scared and unsure if he actually wants to stay and do the right thing for Sheri and the pregnancy.

Archetypes

• Lane → The Moral Struggler

• Sheri → The Strong, Responsible Partner

• The pregnancy → The Moral Test

direct character

The story tells us that Lane is religious, serious, and wants to be good.

Indirect Characterization

We learn who Lane is through his thoughts:

• His overthinking shows his guilt

• His silence shows his fear

• His reflection on Sheri shows his love

Epiphany

Lane realizes that being “good people” is not about saying the right thing —
it’s about making choices with love, honesty, and responsibility, even when it’s hard.

Three examples of imagery describing Sheri (different senses)

• Sight: Sheri is described as very pale, still, serious, and calm-looking.

• Touch: Her hands are described as gentle, soft, and motionless in her lap.

• Sound: Her voice is quiet, controlled, and careful when she speaks.

  • they make sheri seem thoughtful, steady, mature, and morally strong

Two images of the lake

• The lake sometimes looks peaceful, bright, and calm.

• Other times the lake looks dark, muddy, or unsettling.

  • this symbolizes lanes mixed feeling and confusion about the pregnancy and what kind of person he is. 

Lanes vision of hell

eternal separation—from God, from goodness, and from love.
This vision relates to his fear that if he abandons Sheri or acts selfishly, he will permanently become the kind of person he does not want to be: someone empty, disconnected, and cowardly.

How Lane’s religious beliefs affect him

• Guilt because he thinks God expects him to be loving and selfless, and he fears he is not.

• Pressure because he wants to live up to Christian ideals but feels he’s failing.

• A little comfort when he thinks God might help him make the right choice.

Overall: Mostly guilt and pressure, with a small amount of comfort.

Lie by omission

Lane pretends to full support sheri’s pregnancy but in reality he feels unsure about their future and even unsure about his love for her.