Character Analysis
(Avoiding Spoilers)
Living… in Squahamish, Washington. Paul lives with his parents and is the fourth son out of a small army of siblings.
Profession… student-athlete and sausage maker for his family’s business. When Paul isn’t practicing being the second-string, tight end for the Squahamish High School football team, he’s working at his family’s small sausage shop.
Interests… hanging out with his classmate Ellie Chu, and unintentionally building his endurance as he runs alongside her while she bikes up and down the winding roads. Paul also enjoys cooking and connecting with Ellie’s quiet father, as Mr. Chu teaches him how to make braised pork over rice. Paul yearns to do more than follow others' recipes.
Relationship Status… single. Paul hopes to change that since he’s in love with Aster. As he says, “She's pretty, smart, never mean. And she smells like fresh ground flour." Paul isn’t confident to approach Aster on his own, so he’s paying Ellie to help him craft a love letter to Aster. He thinks this gesture will be romantic, but as letters turn to texts turn to what he calls “friend dates,” it’s becoming harder to keep up the lie that he is the one behind the letters.
Challenge… learning to communicate. Paul’s general lack of eloquence is what leads him to seek out Ellie’s writing skills and having as many siblings as he does certainly doesn’t help him establish his own identity. However, as he and Ellie become better friends, he realizes he’ll have to dig deeper if he wants to make his relationships, both romantic and platonic, work.
Personality… awkward but well-meaning. Paul doesn’t understand any of the literary or philosophical references that he’s supposedly exchanging with Aster, and he struggles to articulate his thoughts. That being said, he’s a kind and loyal friend, sticking up for Ellie when she encounters prejudice for her Asian heritage. And although his tactics may need work, it’s admirable that Paul is full of passion and a believer in love.
