Like my peers, I agree that David is not really the main modern anti-hero. Although he initiates heroic actions of others, he does nothing himself to really classify him as heroic. I would argue that Sophie is the biggest example of this within the book. Michael, Rosalind and Petra also provide examples within the novel.
Sophie starts off as an innocent little girl and because of her mutation she is banished. Growing up in the Fringes it explains that she has had nothing for years. She appears to feel insecure and almost guilty about the way her body looks, and her reason for being there. What makes her a hero is her immediate reaction to save David when she sees that he has been hurt. At this point she has no motive for her kindness, except to repay him for what he did for her family years ago. She cares for him and talks to him as an old friend, but what differentiates herself from the tragic hero is the fact that she saves his sister and friend for a selfish reason. And this method is through murder. The fact that she is not perfect is what allows her to be classified as a modern anti-hero. She does die a tragic death, but it is not for a noble cause, mostly to to join her community in their battle against the rules that seperated her from where she lived and people she loved.
Michael’s attempt to distract the search parties on a false trail is noble, and his guidance through the war is appreciated, but the fact that he is willing to fight with Waknuk and not stand up for his friends publicly is a weakness. It is understandable because even if he did not admit his own state, he would also be banished for thinking that mutants should be accepted. The fault I find unforgivable is that he should not be killing Fringes people. Rosalind is also an anti-hero in the sense that she is doing what she needs to, to protect those that she loves, but it does mean that she murders one man and injures another. Petra is the most innocent of all because she understands the least and does as much as she can to help, but her stubborn attitude and powerful thoughts disable her peers sometimes. It is the flaws within these characters that make them relatable to the reader, and not pompous and fluffy as the tragic hero generally appears.
