Friday Essay Test!

[rolanni]

OK, everybody pipe down, turn off your cellphones, take those buds outta your ears -- yes, you over in the corner, I'm talking to YOU! -- and you there, close that math book and I don't see it, right? Do that on your own time.

Everybody awake?

Good.

Here's the assignment:

Describe, in as much detail as possible, Cheever McFarland. You may be as concise or verbose as you like -- but be warned! If I get bored with your exposition, I'll stop reading.

What's that?

No, I don't think that it's at all unfair to ask you to work under the conditions I work under myself.

Other questions?

. . .

Fine.

Get started, people.

Comments

Cheever

[(Anonymous)]

Actor John Ashton as Marvin Dorfler in "Midnight Run"

[kay-gmd.livejournal.com]

Mr. McFarland fits in. His size should make him stand out, just like an over bright cloak, but like the cloak when worn properly size is just assumed to be correct. If one looks one finds a stolid honest face framed with short dirty blond hair. His stance is casual, yet somehow he is always ready to move.

Hmm, pre-existing text...

[disassembly_rsn]

[rummage]

When Cheever was first introduced, he was the point-of-view character; no wonder there's so little description of him lying around. Most of what I can find offhand is about size.

He's an inch or two taller than Shan yos'Galan (the inverse is stated when Shan first greets him, p59 of Carpe Diem's first edition paperback). So judging from what was said about Shan when Priscilla first met him, Cheever is a giant by Liaden standards.

I Dare, Day 283, Standard Year 1392 - referred to as a big man (Pat Rin's the point-of-view character there - Pat Rin's full Liaden, as far as I know, so that has to be taken into account; Cheever, in Carpe Diem, thought of Pat Rin as little). Day 284 mentions that his hands are delicate and sure while moving over ship's controls (but he's a pilot, so one might expect that). On Day 286 (at the shooting range), Pat Rin sizes up a stranger in relation to Cheever; from that, Cheever is larger than an average Terran, not just big-in-relation-to-a-Liaden.

Re: Hmm, pre-existing text...

[(Anonymous)]

In the I Dare scene in which the Surebleak party first goes to the spaceport (Day 376, Standard Year 1392), the Dayside supervisor notices Cheever as a "very large man", and later a "tall man" (just before they're introduced).

At one point a scene from Pat Rin's point of view mentions Cheever's big voice (I Dare, Day 31, Standard Year 1393).

Trying not to read others papers

[(Anonymous)]

Trying HARD.

When Cheever McFarland showed up at Trealla Fantrol, he had flown hard and was quite tired. I remember him being gobsmacked by Nova. I got the impression he was BIG, but not really fat. Linebacker big...solid with lots of muscle. Later on, he was like a big grumbly bear with Pat Rin --- but Pat Rim was being a typically high-handed son-of-Korval (you could easily substitute son-of-a-gun for that!). Pat Rin and Cheever proceeded to disappear 'into the wind' and it was at that breakfast (complete with coffee that Pat Rin was trying to drink)that I decided Cheever must be pretty non-descript in coloring to have such experience in disappearing. I realise this is flimsy reasoning but my backbrain does what it does with little evidence. I therefore see Cheever as a big guy, smaller than Beautiful, Jason or Edger but maybe taller than Shan, with medium brown hair and eyes, medium shaded skin and regular facial features. No scars, no broken nose, an ability to move lightly on his feet if he has to.

Linebacker-types, in my experience, are usually light on their feet.
Lauretta@ConstellationBooks

Clean shaven

[(Anonymous)]

Looking at everyone else's - it never occurred to me that he has a beard or mustache. At least as long as he could find a razor or depilatory.

Interesting to see what we've all internalized,
Lauretta@ConstellationBooks

PS There's a british actor who was in Full Monty that makes me think of Cheever...though he's a wee bit too pudgy in the face.
Here - Mark Addy - http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2868353280/nm0004692

[hapaxnym.livejournal.com]

Wow. Tough. I'm gonna try and do this closed-book. And I'm not going to peek at anybody else's answers first, either.

I always think of McFarland as one of those iconic Western heros -- big, rangy, maybe a little unshaven, with sleepy eyes that see a lot more than people think. Tough, but not thuggish. Can be hurt, but doesn't whine. Laconic, and to the point. Loyal, but thinks for himself. Has a not-so-well-hidden sentimental streak. Not arrogant, but no false modesty about his competence.

Oh, I think you're looking for physical stuff, and I've wandered off into personality. Um, weatherbeaten, I guess. Not particularly graceful, but soft-footed and quick. Not macho, but the sort of guy you'd automatically call "Tex." Probably blondish, probably blue-grey eyes, but in the sort of way that you'd never be able to give a description of the guy after he rode out of town. How's that?

[elbales]

Cheever McFarland, it had more than once been observed, was a very large individual who could move as quietly as a Scout—a quality only to be expected from a master pilot. Aside from the question of size, there was nothing about his close-cropped dark hair or middling brown eyes to excite a particularly high degree of interest.

Cheever McFarland preferred it that way.


I see Mr. McFarland as the sort of man you'd want at your back during a fight, not because he's a better knife hand than Val Con or a better shot than Pat Rin, but because he's very steady and dependable and hits what he aims at. He might even affect a dull look on occasion, the better to surprise his enemies.


ETA: Wow, I must really be tired to forget about facial hair. I just don't see it. No beard, no mustache... and we all know how fond Clonak is of his mustache, so I really think you'd have described it if Cheever had one too.

Ditto build; "very large" means not only tall but also broad-shouldered and solidly built, but certainly carrying no excess weight.

It's of interest to me that, while I'm quite sure Cheever has dark hair, I can't "see" his eye color so easily. Nothing startling, I don't think—none of Val Con's brilliant green or Nova's violet—but other than that I'm not sure. Brown was kind of a default or fallback. I suppose he might have darker blue eyes, or hazel, or grey.

But he's that kind of guy: if he doesn't want you to notice him, you may well not.

[redpimpernel.livejournal.com]

Cheever McFarland is tall, raw-boned, loose-limbed. Tightly curled and/or wavy , dark hair, dark brown or black. I picture someone like a McCloud-era Dennis Weaver, or a young James Arness. I guess I see him as a western sheriff in space.

Cheever McFarland

[(Anonymous)]

I've always thought of him as basically a James Garner size/shape, maybe an inch or two taller, but with medium brown hair that's a tad tough to control...with 5 o'clock shadow by mid-afternoon, but no beard/mustache. Not huge, but big. Very centered, balanced, surprisingly light on his feet, and of course master pilot fast. His personality and self-confidence are what observant folk really notice, not his body, per se, other than general perception that he's a pretty big guy (definitely not wiry, but also not fat).

There's a reason you haven't HAD to write physical description before: it hasn't mattered, at least not compared to the personality that lights up and animates that largish rugged body.

Cheever

[doccolt.livejournal.com]

In I Dare the boss's second hand man just before the change of bosses thinks of Cheever as sleepy looking and probably
slow as most "Really Big Men" are. Surebleak is a Terran world so that should equate to Yxtrang size. Also the second hand man shows no particular intelligence, imagination or gunskill so he would almost have to be bigger than average size himself to hold the position.
Kind of rugged but not bad looking. Maybe handsome to those who prefer character instead of manly beauty in a face. No facial hair normally.

Re: Cheever

[disassembly_rsn]

Ah, found it - I Dare, Day 307, Standard 1392, the soon-to-be-late Boss Moran and his goons are calling on the carpet shop. The goon named Jim Snyder is the point of view character. "Behind [Natesa]...was a big, rugged looking guy, his arms crossed over his chest, eyes half-closed, looking slow and sleepy and stupid, like really big guys usually were."

Snyder also refers to the hand-cannons that Cheever carries in the way of weapons.

Back on day 286 (at the shooting range), Cheever practices with what to me seems a respectable personal arsenal. This includes a "chemically powered double-barrel derringer-style boot-pistol", and "what appeared to be a large - even for a Terran of Cheever's not-inconsiderable size - survival knife." He keeps the "knife" in his boot - it's actually another gun. Nice touch.

(Sorry about the double posting; my browser restarted and I didn't log back in properly the first time.)

[cailleuch.livejournal.com]

Brown hair, brown eyes. As others have stated tall, I think over 6 foot. He is taller than Shan and I would think close in size to Beautiful. Facial structure/features something like Robert Urich or Goran Visnjic.

Re: Cheever

[https://me.yahoo.com/a/mVbUuqolno8SBXYiPj8Y.sUsWTAwhRnnckM-#9f005 (from livejournal.com)]

The image of the actor Gerald Butler pops to mind as Cheever.

Re: Cheever

[grassrose.livejournal.com]

I could go with that - or maybe Fred Ward.
( http://www.imdb.com/media/rm268278528/nm0911542 )
It all depends on just how handsome you want him to be. I still see his hair as a little curlier than either of these guys, and more brown than black.

ETA: Here's a younger, more "pilot-y" pic of Ward
http://tinyurl.com/ylbce3q

[swedishsis.livejournal.com]

tall, solid, graceful and stoic.

Mentally pictured him as Dwayne Johnson:

http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1757055744/nm0425005

Cheever

[(Anonymous)]

I always pictured him like one of the guys on my team in infantry officer training... 6'4, 16 stones of solid muscle (could lift a 150-pound barrel with hands only). Build like a bouncer--a bit wide; close-cropped sandy hair, eyes of indeterminate (but light) color, clean-shaven square face.

(On second thinking, my pal then was more of a Yxtrang... I still remember him actually sprinting through a 250-yard live-fire exercise uphill, with an M-16 held like a toy gun, spouting a bullet whenever his feet touched the ground--for a perfect score of 100 hits from 100 bullets... Frightening image :))

Re: Cheever

[doccolt.livejournal.com]

Sounds like him though Cheever might be a bit taller still.

[jane-barfly.livejournal.com]

Tall for a Terran, broad-shouldered, has all his hair, possibly a bit craggy, almost always found in low workboots and the equivalent of either denims or Carhartts. Strangely enough, is never greasy, and his clothes, if they get greased, look neat the next time. Has a pleasant low baritone that can get into shouting matches easily. Eyes can twinkle. Tips well. Looks good in black with opal blue and silver embroidery, so almost certainly has blue eyes. Runs slightly to lean, rather than slightly to fat.

[jane-barfly.livejournal.com]

Forgot. He's as big as the Yxtrang blocking the door where Val Con makes his headquarters near the end of _I Dare_. He's tall, he's broad-shouldered, and the flexible pilot's seats need to go *all* the way back and down for him.

And he looks striking, and he's easy, mostly. And he's got a good eye for people, and knows it. He follows Pat Rin in the end, not because Shan and Nova hired him, but because he judges Pat Rin worthy.

Friday Essay Test - Cheever McFarland

[dvdscar.livejournal.com]

I know it's Saturday - hope I'm not penalized for being late.

How would I describe him...........hmmm.......

Okay, he looks kind of like John Wayne in "The Quiet Man"--same size and shape--only not as pretty. I don't recall if the eyes are already stipulated in canon. If not, I lean toward blue. But whatever the color, a steady piercing gaze. Hard hands. Surprisingly agile, until you remember he's a pilot. Skin may be a little darker than John's. Surprising ability to fade into the background.

He sounds somewhat like Richie Havens, I think. Kind of a husky "aged in oak" kind of voice.

Very practical, matter of fact, not-given-to-much-nonsense kind of guy. Takes his word as his bond, which is why he seldom gives it. Holds others to that same standard. But he apparently has a soft spot for puppies, kittens and dragonlings--hence his attachment to Korval, and to Pat Rin in particular.

Forshadowing

[(Anonymous)]

It has nothing to do with Cheever’s looks, but…In Chapter II of I Dare we have this exchange:

“You intrigue me, Mr. McFarland. I wonder how you became such an expert in going to ground.”

“Someday I might tell you,” the big man said, shortly.

I don’t know if this officially counts as an example of Chekhov’s Gun. But the aftershocks of whatever sent Cheever into hiding might well thicken the plot of Ghost Ship—or whichever story has you needing a physical description of the man.

[pedanther]

Late addition - I've been catching up on the chapbooks, and found another bit of in-text description. In the story of how Pat Rin obtained the Sinner's Carpet ("Persistence", in Adventures #14), we have the Carpet's former owner's first impressions:

"The larger man. She sighed, for she had been known to be fond of larger men herself, but she admired him not only for his stature but for the way he masked his elegance of walk and motion. He appeared to the public face to be perhaps one as might carry burdens or stand as bodyguard, and truth was he carried a public gun. He was, however, far from the shambling person he projected and his eyes were clear and alert.