Gordie Lachance

Grew Up… in Castle Rock, Oregon, with distant parents. They fixated and heaped attention on Gordie’s older brother Denny – a star athlete – but never paid much attention to Gordie. He only began to get more attention, sadly, after Denny was killed in a car crash.

Living… in a quiet suburban home with his parents in Castle Rock. There is little warmth in the household and Gordie’s parents only seem to scold him. As a result, Gordie tries to spend as little time at home as possible. Instead, he wanders Castle Rock’s streets with his friends Chris, Teddy, and Vern.

Profession… student. Gordie is 12 years old and attends Castle Rock’s public school. He is a gifted writer – a star among the English department.

Interests… storytelling. Gordie is a bookish boy who spends his time reading and writing. He submits stories to pulp periodicals and has even had a piece or two accepted. Gordie often tells stories to his friends to help pass the time – a trait that causes them to good-naturedly refer to him as a “Big Shot Writer.”

Relationship Status… single. At 12 Gordie is just beginning to enter the tumultuous, lustful throes of puberty. He’s just starting to notice girls and they’re starting to notice him. His new infatuation with the opposite sex hasn’t translated to anything more than errant daydreams.

Challenge… finding Ray Brower’s body, a boy from the neighboring town of Chamberlain who recently went missing. Vern overheard his older brother say that Ray went to explore the nearby railroad tracks and was struck by a train. Figuring that they’ll be heroes if they find the missing boy, the four friends set off to find Ray’s body. Their quest to appear in the newspaper quickly becomes something more – as the boys confront their personal demons, the strength of their friendships, and have their last shared adventure before entering the murky world of adolescence.

Personality… introspective, loyal, and independent. His parent’s lack of interest caused Gordie to mature quickly and he constantly wrestles with questions that don’t occur to most 12-year-olds. Still, he’s more than willing to volley childish insults back and forth and spend hours discussing the precise nature of Goofy’s species. Gordie is the leader of his friend group when it comes to decision-making, although Chris is the “best at making peace” at moments of crisis. Gordie is nevertheless plagued by insecurities – feeling that he should have died instead of his brother.