Hugh / Helen Steeply Character Analysis

Hugh Steeply is an O.U.S. operative who is undercover as a journalist called Helen throughout the novel. Steeply is loyal to his country and believes deeply in the American principle of freedom of choice. However, as Marathe points out, Steeply’s mission of trying to intercept the master copy of the Entertainment in order to stop it being distributed to American citizens theoretically violates his belief in this freedom. Steeply isn’t trans, just in disguise, yet is referred to with she/her pronouns when appearing as Helen in the book. When it is unclear under what guise Steeply is in, s/he and her/his are used. Steeply is large is stature, and the book fixates on the apparent incongruity between his size and female presentation.