The Last Straw

Rowley is a fellow sixth grader and Greg’s long-time best friend. Greg illustrates Rowley in his signature humorous style with a square head and buckteeth, emphasizing Rowley’s naive and playful demeanor.

Rowley serves as a foil to Greg’s more self-centered and status-conscious tendencies. Throughout The Last Straw, Rowley is characterized by his cheerful and trusting nature, often allowing himself to be used by Greg without fully realizing it. His willingness to go along with Greg’s schemes highlights his innocence, as he rarely questions Greg’s motives or actions, even when they aren’t in his best interest.

Unlike Greg, Rowley is more playful and immature, showing little concern for activities that would make him seem more mature or grown up. He doesn’t mind playing with younger kids, which Greg often finds embarrassing. Rowley’s lack of interest in social status or the need to appear “cool” makes him a target for Greg’s frustration, but it also endears him to others. For example, Holly, Greg’s crush, considers Rowley sweet and adorable, a stark contrast to Greg’s cynical view of their friendship.

Rowley’s sensitivity is another defining trait. He is easily hurt both physically and emotionally, such as when he cries after getting a splinter while whittling in Boy Scouts. His emotional openness sets him apart from Greg, who tends to bury his insecurities beneath humor and schemes.

Frank is Greg’s dad. Frank plays an antagonistic role in this novel by threatening to send Greg to military school. He wants his sons to embody a more traditional masculine ideal and often clashes with them over their misbehavior and poor academic performance. Whenever Greg shows any interest in sports or physical activity, Frank gets excited and encourages Greg to pursue it. Frank envies his boss’s athletic sons and hopes that his own sons will become similar.

In The Last Straw, Frank’s encounter with the former neighborhood troublemaker, Lenwood Heath, introduces the idea of military school as a way to toughen Greg up. Frank signs Greg up, which causes Greg to look for various ways to impress his father. Frank’s concern about his sons comes from a general concern about how he is perceived by others. He is easily embarrassed when his sons misbehave, particularly when this happens in front of his boss. This embarrassment hints at Frank’s insecurity about his own status and reputation, driving his desire for his family to present themselves well in front of others.

Despite his outward push for toughness, Frank has his own vulnerabilities. He dislikes public speaking and performances, a trait that contrasts with his expectation of Greg to meet traditional masculine ideals. In one instance, Frank even asks Greg to help him avoid having to perform in front of the Snella family’s baby, revealing a more vulnerable side to his character.

Rodrick is Greg’s teenage older brother. Greg draws Rodrick with angry eyebrows and spiky hair to emphasize his role as a typical teenage bully, constantly antagonizing Greg and taking pleasure in tormenting him. Rodrick is lazy, rebellious, and more interested in his heavy metal band “Löded Diaper” than academics or family obligations. His messy, disorganized nature is a source of frustration for his parents, but Rodrick largely ignores their attempts to discipline him. He thrives on causing trouble for Greg, often using his age and size to his advantage to humiliate, prank, or beat up Greg. Greg fears Rodrick, but not enough to keep him from continuing to prank Rodrick and participate in their brotherly squabbles. Greg does not want to turn into an unpleasant teenager like Rodrick and his friends.

Susan is Greg’s mom. Susan often plays the role of the mediator, stepping in to stop conflict between Greg, Rodrick, and Manny. Susan often suggests family bonding activities that Greg considers ill-informed and counterproductive, like when she encourages Rodrick to go along on the father-son campout that Greg planned for himself and his dad. Susan often embarrasses Greg by treating him like a child or being overly sappy in public. Susan is more attuned to social conventions than many other members of the Heffley family and often makes them do things they don’t want to do, like politely attend their neighbors’ party or behave in church.

Manny is Greg’s younger brother. Greg draws Manny in his cartoon style with a small physique and large buckteeth, highlighting his youth and naiveté. Manny is a toddler and communicates primarily in nonsense words and tantrums. His limited ability to understand social dynamics makes him oblivious to the tension that he creates in the household. Greg resents how Manny receives special treatment from their parents, often getting away with behaviors that Greg was punished for when he was younger, like getting out of bed to watch TV or tattling on his brothers.

Manny is also at a developmental stage at which he is trying, but struggling, to give up certain baby-like habits, such as his pacifier and attachment to his blanket. These small attempts at maturity, however, are overshadowed by his ability to avoid getting in trouble, which further irritates Greg. A notable example is when Manny calls Greg “Ploopy” without consequence, but Greg gets in trouble for using the same word toward Manny.

Holly is Greg’s classmate at school and the object of his affection. Greg evaluates Holly as an accessible choice because she is the fourth prettiest girl at school. Holly is often shown hanging out with her friends, participating in activities like sleepovers and nights out at the roller rink. Holly exhibits little interest in Greg and accidentally confuses him with another classmate, Fregley, who Greg reviles. Greg’s limited interactions with Holly emphasize how little he knows about her personality. Holly writes an effusive note in Rowley’s yearbook, hinting at a positive and cheerful nature.