What's In Your Soul? | A Hatchetfield Character Analysis of Paul Matthews
Alternatively: I've dissected this character under a microscope for months because his story requires so much work for me to understand, but I think I've cracked it and my friends lightly peer pressured me to post my writing online. I don’t know who will be bothered to read all of this, but I’m sharing it anyway.
Paul Matthews, the eponymous Guy who doesn't like musicals, is one of my favourite characters in the Hatchetfield series, and also the most difficult to get a good grip on. Because he's a non-traditional protagonist whose development is so subtle you could even argue it's not there, you legitimately have to take his advice and think about the implications; of the way he presents himself, of things he says, of the narrative he's stuck in. Think about it all.
I think that it's difficult to talk about Paul and what his stories say to the audience because his life presents things about him and ourselves which are difficult to face. In many ways he's a mirror, in many ways he's an enigma. He's just some guy. He is THE Guy. A guy with multiple stories investigating what makes him tick. And I've tried to disassemble the watch.
This analysis is subject to addenda in the future if Paul is featured in more stories, especially considering any new information provided by the upcoming remount of The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals. A thank you in advance to anyone who takes the time to read this.
A few things to establish before we begin.
Paul is one of the most interesting everyman characters I've ever seen because although he is an ordinary person acting as the audience surrogate, the series plays around with the idea of what an “average” person actually is.
The bridge of “Let it Out” globalizes the core of Paul's story (as in, details and extends it to every Hatchetfield timeline): across multiple installations and appearances, Paul's character is centered around the interrogation of a “happy life.” What it means, how it's achieved, who it involves, what it's worth.
In works following TGWDLM, we come to learn more about Paul in the specific, maintaining his character as a vehicle for exploring the psyche of an ordinary, average person, while also expanding on his individual quirks.
Part 4: Dogs in the Closet
Paul has a few skeletons in the closet, a few clones in the basement, a few dogs dead and their blood on his hands. But he’s not a bad guy, he swears.
Part 5: What Do You Want, Paul?
What’s interesting about the simulated scenario isn’t that Paul wants to be a squirrel, but that he’s (mostly) still himself. It is mainly perception and circumstance which change in his dream world.
Part 23: Forever and Always Us
There are a lot of discussions of love and happiness outside of Paul’s stories.
Conclusion: A Long, Happy Life
The messages of Paul Matthews’ life are simple, but ubiquitous, and true.
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