Characterization of Scully in The Riders by Tim Winton One of the most endearing aspects of The Riders is the clever characterization. This allows the reader to relate to the typical national stereotypes and yet the very quirky personalities portrayed in the novel. Characterization, along with Winton's remarkable ability to use character vision to evoke a sense of place, are two of The Riders' strengths. The character of Fred Scully, the "hero" of The Riders, is one of the most beautifully written characters to come out of Winton's writing to date. Scully's character encompasses all the traditional Australian traits: her use of the vernacular, appearance, humour, as well as point of view and much more. Winton takes the reader along with Scully in her desperate struggle across Europe and it is Scully's personality that the reader finds himself appreciating more than just sightseeing....Scully [is] one of the most memorable characters in Australian fiction ."Scully is memorable because her traits could be found in someone the reader knows; she could easily be "the man next door." The beauty of Scully is that Winton allowed the character to evolve and adapt along with his character At the beginning of the novel Scully is the "...big friendly mess of a man who followed them like a bad hound, loyal and indestructible..." but not long after Scully is seen as "...shy. like a lamb to the slaughter..." These changes in Scully's character fit into the structure and plot of The Riders. Before Jennifer's disappearance, Scully was a good-looking optimist, content to wait them out. the difficult times, but after the trauma of loss and grief,… middle of paper… is based around the idea that Scully is an emotional person, one who considers the needs of others. Scully follows Jennifer because of the baby. Yet he doesn't pursue Connor Keneally, because he understands that it wouldn't be right, no matter how much he feels like he wants to. Tim Winton's Scully is a truly memorable Australian character. His connection with the reader allows them to appreciate his individual humor, his foul language, and his generally unsinkable optimism. Winton's writing skills allow the reader to be drawn to Scully by the character's particular perspective on situations. Scully once said "What you see is what you get." In The Riders this is not necessarily the case, Winton gives Scully much more than what is printed on the page and it is up to the reader's discretion how much he perceives. Work cited Winton, Tim. The Prentice Riders Hall 1996.