55 pages • 1 hour read
Atticus LishPreparation For The Next Life
Atticus LishFiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2014A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Character Analysis
Brad “Skinner”
Skinner is one of the main protagonists of Preparation for the Next Life. He is an Iraq War veteran who has severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and long-term physical injuries from shrapnel. Skinner’s character development revolves around his dwindling faith in the United States government—an entity that seems interested only in exploiting him—repeatedly extending his military service without his consent and offering him no support after his discharge. Skinner’s mental health declines rapidly throughout the story. Skinner surrounds himself with things that remind him of the war—his poncho liner, gun, and videos of war and executions—because he no longer knows who he is outside of his military service.
Skinner’s relationship with Zou Lei gives him some stability. The hope of finding love was something that helped Skinner through his military service. However, as his PTSD symptoms worsen, he loses his ability to hold onto those feelings. Skinner and Zou Lei have a codependent relationship, in which each depends on the other for some form of support; Skinner’s love for Zou Lei is something to hold onto so that he does not harm himself. However, when Skinner believes that Zou Lei has died at the end of the novel, his entire worldview is shattered. Skinner kills Jimmy and experiences extreme hallucinations of the streets of New York being engulfed in war; he has lost his sense of stability and does not know how to cope without Zou Lei. Skinner’s suicide at the end of the novel is foreshadowed from the beginning, highlighting the hopelessness of Skinner’s situation. His story sheds light on the shortcomings of the VA system and the failures of the US government to support military veterans.
Zou Lei
Zou Lei is the second protagonist of Preparation for the Next Life. She is a Uighur—a member of a Turkic Muslim population centered in what is now Northwest China. This ethnic group has suffered significant human rights abuses at the hands of the Chinese government, and it is in part because of this political situation that Zou Lei arrives as an undocumented immigrant in the US. Zou Lei is incarcerated under the Patriot Act, and even after her release, her undocumented status makes her vulnerable to exploitation by employers. However, Zou Lei is strong and determined, and she does not allow the injustice she faces to deter her from her ultimate goal: getting a green card and living comfortably. Zou Lei enters the United States believing in the American Dream, in which anyone who works hard can succeed and become wealthy. However, as the story progresses, Zou Lei becomes increasingly disillusioned with the American Dream and feels resentment toward the American government for its bias and systemic flaws.
Zou Lei and Skinner’s relationship becomes codependent very quickly. Zou Lei finds herself relying on Skinner to feel happy. She also depends on Skinner to marry her so she can get her green card, but this never comes to fruition as systemic barriers prevent her from obtaining a marriage license. After Skinner’s death, she moves to Phoenix, symbolically entering a new life. The name of the city alludes to the mythic bird that burns to death and is then reborn from its ashes, solidifying this symbolism. In Phoenix, Zou Lei explores her newfound confidence and maturity, living a more secure life.
Jimmy Murphy/Turner
Jimmy is the main antagonist of the novel. Jimmy’s character represents the difficulty of removing oneself from cycles of violence. Jimmy’s stepfather is abusive, and the trauma from his abuse leads Jimmy to become violent himself. After Jimmy is incarcerated for theft, his experience in prison hardens his violent tendencies, and upon his release, he continues to sell and consume drugs. Jimmy’s rape and abuse of the Chinese sex worker furthers this cycle of violence. His attempted assault on Zou Lei is ultimately what causes his death, as Skinner kills him for hurting her.
As a character, Jimmy is entitled and aggressive. He does not learn from his mistakes or earn redemption. Jimmy believes that he has done nothing wrong despite having been incarcerated several times. Jimmy’s mother and sister support him unconditionally, enabling him to continue to act violently without repercussions. Jimmy’s death itself is the ultimate act of violence in the novel and stops him from harming others, ending his cycle.
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