Ted Jones's Arc

The trajectory of Ted Jones from golden boy to broken victim.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

Ted as the Ideal Student

The All-American Boy The Football Star Ted Jones is a former football star who quit the team. He is handsome, popular, and drives a Mustang. His father is vice-president of the bank. The Secret Ted's mother is an alcoholic, a fact that Pig Pen reveals during the crisis. Ted is ashamed and defensive about his family. The Hypocrisy Ted presents a perfect image but is revealed to be a hypocrite. He cheats on tests and looks at answer sheets. His relationship with Sandra Cross is exploitative.

Ted's Confrontation with Charlie

The Challenge The Attempt to Take the Gun Ted stands up and challenges Charlie, trying to take the gun. Charlie humiliates him by asking why he quit football, implying it was because of his mother's alcoholism. The Aftermath Ted is forced to sit down, but his hatred for Charlie grows. He becomes increasingly isolated as the class turns against him. The Psychological Unraveling Ted's composure cracks. He is revealed as a bully and a coward. His anger and shame consume him.

Sandra's Confession About Ted

The Exposure The Rollerdrome Incident Sandra describes her sexual encounter with Ted, including his violence toward another boy. She also reveals her subsequent casual sex with a stranger. The Aftermath Ted is humiliated and enraged. He calls Sandra a whore, but the class sides with her. Ted's image is shattered. The Isolation Ted is now completely alone. The other students view him with contempt. His psychological state deteriorates.

The Attack on Ted

The Mob Violence The Accusations The class turns on Ted, accusing him of cheating, hypocrisy, and cruelty. They physically assault him, ripping his shirt, pouring ink on him, and breaking his foot. The Aftermath Ted is left catatonic, drooling and unresponsive. He is later taken to Woodlands, a private institution, where he remains in a flat-line catatonic state. The Long-Term Fate Dr. Andersen considers electroshock therapy. Ted's future is bleak. He is a victim of the mob mentality that Charlie unleashed.

Before the hostage crisis

During the hostage crisis, mid-morning

Late morning, during the hostage crisis

Just before 1:00 PM, the climax of the crisis