James Ritter Character Analysis in Piranesi

James Ritter is one of Laurence Arne-Sayles original followers. A handsome yet troubled man, he was discovered in 1997 behind a fake wall at Arne-Sayles’s house. To great public confusion, he claimed to have spent much of his time in a house filled with statues and flooded rooms. At the time, the public speculates about the cause for the kidnapping, with some claiming Arne-Sayles brainwashed Ritter to substantiate his claims of other worlds, while other suggested it was motivated by sexual attraction. In the present day, Ritter works as a caretaker at the Manchester Town Hall. Its architecture reminds him of the House and provides him with comfort. He has been sober for 10 years and is said to possess a “Zen-like” disposition. Upon returning to the real world, Piranesi (or Matthew) meets with Ritter. He offers to take him back to the House anytime he wants.

James Ritter Character Timeline in Piranesi

The timeline below shows where the character James Ritter appears in Piranesi. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Piranesi reads from two journal entries for James Ritter. The first recounts the arrest of Arne-Sayles after a housecleaner discovers a secret room hiding... (full context)

Piranesi is intrigued by Ritter’s journal entry, particularly the part about the Hall of Minotaurs—a clear reference to the First... (full context)

...Piranesi/Matthew how to travel to the labyrinth by himself. A week prior, he met James Ritter to take him back to the labyrinth. James cried with happiness upon arrival and begged... (full context)