Bluey Character Analysis in Only the Animals

In “Somewhere Along the Line the Pearl Would Be Handed to Me,” Bluey is a mussel and former friend of Muss’s who grew up in a West Coast mussel farm. He accompanies Sel, Muss, and Gallos when they hitch onto a battleship. Unlike his friends, Bluey is always sad and thinks that his friends are going against their natures as mussels by trying to move so much. Ultimately he chooses to return to the mussel farm and his family.

Bluey Character Timeline in Only the Animals

The timeline below shows where the character Bluey appears in Only the Animals. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

The Interconnectedness of Humans and Animals Theme Icon

...enough to get stuck in a routine. Their goal is to detach. A mussel named Bluey joined the group at the farm. The four talk often about how to practice non-attachment... (full context)

Bluey feels lonely all the time. He likes to watch his byssal secretions harden and believes... (full context)

...hanging on. A few other mussels fall off when it gets stormy, which always makes Bluey sad. But they lose some and gain others. Blue mussel larvae continually latch on. One... (full context)

...one day when Muss and Sel get into a fight over the nature of reality. Bluey gets sad and Gallos gets jealous, but Muss and Sel forgive each other later. Muss... (full context)

...a dog whelk trying to invade the mussel bed. They plan to tether it, but Bluey insists it’s wrong to starve another creature. Both Muss and Gallos support the cause, but... (full context)

...Gallos return. They’d tied up the dog whelk and left it to die. Hearing this, Bluey doesn’t talk to them for days, so Sel makes a speech. He insists that they... (full context)

...for a few weeks, giving the mussels time to get in trouble in the bay. Bluey, though, gets homesick and decides to return to the farm. He misses sharing food with... (full context)