Double Down

Rowley Jefferson is Greg’s best friend. The two boys are in the same grade at school. There is a clear power dynamic in Greg and Rowley’s friendship: Greg is the leader, and Rowley goes along with his schemes. While Greg is quite cynical about the world around him, Rowley is more genuine and is prepared to see the best in people, including Greg. Often, Greg’s ideas put Rowley in either discomfort or danger, neither of which Greg takes seriously. The Friendship and Loyalty that exists between them is genuine, but Greg’s affection for Rowley is often hidden under layers of sarcasm and a need for control. For example, Greg pressures Rowley into dressing as a two-headed monster for Halloween instead of letting him “go to the party as a ‘nice witch’” (161), which was Rowley’s original plan.

Rowley enjoys the Spineticklers books, but he finds them very frightening. He prefers to read the Spineticklers Junior books, which are for an even younger audience. When he and Greg make their horror movie, he is afraid of the gummy worm antagonists that eat the film’s characters. Greg’s narration makes it clear that he thinks Rowley is socially inept and in need of guidance. For instance, Greg thinks that if Rowley goes to Mariana Mendoza’s Halloween party, “he’s gonna be in over his head” (141), though it’s likely that Greg is covering his own insecurity and jealousy of the possibility of Rowley going to a party without him.

Mrs. Heffley is Greg’s mother. She wants to believe that Greg is special and is proud of his accomplishments. When he gets a poem published in an anthology, she insists that he must belong in the Talented and Gifted program at school. Greg and his mother have different opinions about his potential and skills: Greg wants to become famous and popular, but he is not confident in his academic abilities. Mrs. Heffley places high value on academic achievement and encourages her sons to engage with the world around them in a more genuine way, even though her efforts are rarely successful.

In Double Down, Greg’s mother undergoes a major life change when she decides to return to college to complete her master’s degree. She feels happier learning new things, though she fails to inspire a similar enthusiasm in her sons. Mrs. Heffley’s own work ethic and sense of determination leave her continuously disappointed by Greg’s lack of Perseverance and Commitment. Like many members of Greg’s family, Mrs. Heffley is caught in a constant cycle of getting Greg to try something new, being let down by his disinterest, and punishing him when he misbehaves. Like all of the characters in the Wimpy Kid series, Mrs. Heffley’s role in Greg’s life remains consistent in service to the books’ comedic premise.

Mr. Heffley is Greg’s father. He is a relatively minor character in Double Down, taking a more passive role than his wife when it comes to parenting his three sons. Mr. Heffley thinks it is important for Greg to demonstrate Perseverance and Commitment, but feels skeptical that it will happen. When Greg first asks to join the band, his father refuses because Greg often seems initially interested in things only to change his mind later. Mr. Heffley tries to rent Greg a French horn instead of buying one, confident that Greg will soon lose interest in the instrument. Mr. Heffley feels he knows what would be best for his sons, but his more passive nature makes it difficult for him to put his foot down, so he buys Greg the French horn.

Like many adults in Greg’s life, Mr. Heffley often gets frustrated with his son for his inconsistency and dishonesty. Sometimes, Greg tries to insist that his version of events is accurate, but his father does not believe him. This is most obvious in the scene where Greg and Rowley miss the Fall Concert. The book is ambiguous about whether Greg’s father disbelieves a true story or whether Greg is stretching the truth once again. Mr. Heffley often uses grounding as a punishment, in the hopes that Greg will learn from his mistakes which, in keeping with the comedy of the series, he never does.

Rodrick Heffley is Greg’s older brother. He is approaching the end of high school, though his exact age is not specified. Rodrick is tall and has spiky hair in the illustrations. He is completely uninterested in school and prefers to focus on his band, which he thinks will make him famous. Like Greg, Rodrick is portrayed as lazy, thoughtless, and often dishonest. When Mrs. Heffley tries to encourage her sons to help out with household chores, Rodrick adds his own fake “chores” to the list so that he can take a nap instead of helping out. When she asks Rodrick to research colleges he might like to attend, he obtains brochures for dog training programs instead. 

Rodrick has long been Greg’s primary tormentor, repeatedly stealing his birthday money and telling him mean-spirited lies all his life, leading Greg to question the difference between Reality and Illusion. However, when push comes to shove, Rodrick is willing to help his brother out. He agrees to drive Greg and the pig to the vet after the pig eats too much candy corn, although he does make Greg clean up the pig’s vomit. Despite the friction between them, the brothers are actually very similar. They are both generally unmotivated, self-absorbed, and prepared to lie about almost anything for their own gain.