Eddie changes physically and emotionally over the course of the novel as he learns different lessons and new information from his five people. Use the activity for Character Evolution with your students to help them keep track of how Eddie evolves throughout the course of the novel.
| STAGE | EDDIE'S TRAITS | EXPLANATION |
|---|---|---|
| Exposition | 83-year old gentleman, dutifully maintaining rides at Ruby Pier; he walks in pain from an old injury; he keeps to himself | Eddie is a widower who lost his wife when she was only 47 years old. He took over the maintenance job at Ruby Pier after his father’s death, and he blames his father for being stuck at that job. He has a knee injury that bothers him from the war. |
| Conflict/Rising Action | Feels young again in Heaven and not in pain; then the old injury comes back; confused; can’t figure out why he is there; guilty | Eddie is transitioning through his childhood, to his time as a soldier. Along the way, he is learning lessons, but he is also learning that he accidentally killed the Blue Man, his Captain is the one who shot him, and his Captain died as they were trying to flee the coal mining village. He is also filled with anger and hatred at seeing his father, but soon learns he needs to let go. |
| Climax | Eddie is old and feeling like he did at the time of his death on earth again; sad; lonely; despairing | Eddie has just learned that love never dies from Marguerite, but then she has left him again. He misses her. He sees Tala, and he discovers that he accidentally killed her; he is devastated, and feels like he didn’t do anything with his life. |
| Falling Action | Hopeful; peaceful; enlightened | Tala reveals to Eddie that it was no accident that he worked at Ruby Pier; he was supposed to be there, and that because of his work, he kept many children safe. In doing so, he has made up for what he did to Tala. |
| Resolution | Enlightened; pain-free; at home | Now that Eddie has learned all that he needs to learn, he feels free and filled with understanding about his life. He is reunited with Marguerite, and he is now waiting in line to greet Amy or Annie when she arrives. |
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that shows the evolution of Eddie throughout the course of The Five People You Meet in Heaven.
Create a large, visual timeline on a bulletin board or wall where students can track Eddie’s changing traits and milestones throughout the novel. This helps students see character growth at a glance and encourages ongoing engagement with the story.
Ask students to draw or digitally create scenes representing Eddie’s character at each plot stage. Visuals help students connect emotionally and make abstract changes more concrete for everyone in the class.
Lead small group or partner discussions about the reasons behind Eddie’s evolution at each stage. This deepens understanding and encourages students to use evidence from the text to support their ideas.
Invite students to journal about how Eddie’s experiences relate to their own lives or someone they know. Reflective writing boosts empathy and personal connection to the novel.
Host a classroom ‘gallery walk’ where students display their timelines, illustrations, and reflections. Sharing their work builds classroom community and lets students take pride in their learning.
Eddie's character evolution in The Five People You Meet in Heaven involves his transformation from a lonely, guilt-ridden maintenance worker to someone who finds peace, purpose, and understanding about his life and sacrifices after learning lessons from five significant people in Heaven.
Students can track Eddie’s changes by using a Character Evolution Template to break down the story into key stages—Exposition, Conflict/Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution—while noting Eddie's traits, major events, and emotional growth at each point.
At Exposition, Eddie is dutiful but withdrawn; during Conflict/Rising Action, he feels confusion and guilt; at the Climax, he is lonely and despairing; in Falling Action, he becomes hopeful and enlightened; and at the Resolution, Eddie is pain-free and at peace.
Eddie learns that every life has meaning, forgiveness is vital, love never ends, sacrifices matter, and that his work at Ruby Pier saved many lives, giving his own life profound purpose.
The best way is to have students create a storyboard or character evolution chart using the provided template, identifying Eddie's traits and major events at each story stage, and illustrating how those events shaped his growth.