▁characters ▁of ▁the ▁novel . ▁ ▁In ▁many ▁ways , ▁his ▁resistance ▁to ▁his ▁own ▁super natural ▁nature ▁par alle ls ▁An ita ' s ▁resistance ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁nov els . ▁ ▁If ▁Jean - Cla ude ▁and ▁Ash er ▁represent ▁the ▁side ▁of ▁An ita ▁that ▁fully ▁accepts ▁her ▁" dark er ▁nature ," ▁then ▁Richard ▁represents ▁the ▁side ▁that ▁cannot ▁accept ▁it . ▁ ▁Richard ▁has ▁several ▁character ▁tra its , ▁most ▁of ▁which ▁manifest ▁as ▁an ▁obst ruction ▁to ▁An ita ▁and ▁Jean - Cla ude ' s ▁plans . ▁ ▁An ita ▁describes ▁Richard ▁as ▁a ▁" boy ▁sc out ." ▁ ▁Although ▁serving ▁as ▁Ul fr ic ▁and ▁his ▁relationship ▁with ▁An ita ▁and ▁Jean - Cla ude ▁have ▁less ened ▁this ▁characteristic , ▁Richard ▁is ▁basically ▁kind ▁and ▁pol ite , ▁and ▁tends ▁to ▁assume ▁the ▁best ▁of ▁people . ▁ ▁Despite ▁his ▁" boy ▁sc out " ▁nature , ▁Richard ▁has ▁a ▁dark er ▁side . ▁ ▁Both ▁he ▁and ▁" his ▁be ast " ▁are ▁excited ▁and ▁ar oused ▁by ▁violence ▁and ▁pain . ▁ ▁Although ▁An ita ▁has ▁encourag ed ▁him ▁to ▁accept ▁his ▁nature , ▁Richard ▁is ▁deeply ▁threatened ▁by ▁this ▁aspect ▁of ▁himself , ▁and ▁bl ames ▁" his ▁be ast " ▁for ▁those ▁ur ges . ▁ ▁As ▁bef its ▁an ▁alpha ▁w olf , ▁Richard ▁is ▁fier c ely ▁independent . ▁ ▁He ▁strongly ▁res ents , ▁and ▁usually ▁blocks , ▁anything ▁that ▁he ▁sees ▁as ▁an ▁attempt ▁by