Character Analysis
Poor Mason. He's the typical good guy who's perfect on paper, but the chemistry just isn't there. Let's take a look at what he does in the novel. He:
- Helps Rose out on her quest to learn about St. Vladimir
- Goes to Christian for her, even though the guy's kinda scary
- Covers for her when one of the dorm matrons asks Rose what she's doing out of her room
- Gets Jesse and Ralf to tell the truth about the rumor about Rose
- Punches Miles for calling Rose a blood whore
Whoa, that's a lot of stuff, and it's clear he's definitely a good guy. So good, in fact, that Rose wonders why she doesn't like him: "How hard would it be, I wondered, to go out with him? He was nice, funny, and reasonably good-looking. We got along. Why did I get caught up in so many messes with other guys when I had a perfectly sweet one here who wanted me? Why couldn't I just return his feelings?" (14.58).
It just goes to show that someone might be charming, strong, funny, and an all-around great guy, but that doesn't give you feelings you don't have. Even so, we like how Mason's a great friend to Rose (even if he wants to be more than that).