"Repent, Harlequin!" Said the Ticktockman

The Ticktockman is the antagonist of the story and, in many ways, a foil to the Harlequin. Known also by his official title of the Master Timekeeper, he is anonymous, hiding his real identity behind a mask. However, unlike the Harlequin, the Ticktockman is largely passive, affecting the story by sending messages, giving orders to his underlings, and performing bureaucratic activities from within his office. He appears directly in three scenes and has no major relationships or desires; keeping everything in the System going “timewise” is his only motivation.

In contrast to the loud, flamboyant Harlequin, the Ticktockman’s major personality trait is softness. He is described as “often silent” (147), and when he speaks, it is “very quietly, very sincerely, extremely dangerously” (154). Even so, he is associated with soft, persistent sound. The “purring” that accompanies him when he is pleased, the “mrmee, mrmee, mrmee” (155) sound he makes at the close of the story, even his name—the Ticktockman—all evoke quiet mechanical noises, like the ticking of a clock. The sounds of the Ticktockman are easy to overlook but form an ever-present soundscape, much the same way the rigid System he works to maintain is a subtle but constant pressure on the lives of everyone in this world.

At the end of the story, the Ticktockman himself has been slightly changed by the Harlequin’s rebellion; he is three minutes late. However, as a flat, static character, he doesn’t register this or acknowledge its truth. Instead, he maintains, like Pretty Alice, that it’s “ridiculous” and goes about his business.

Pretty Alice is the Harlequin’s romantic interest. Her name suggests a stereotype, a woman who is known only for her beauty. In some ways, Pretty Alice lives up to this stereotype; she only appears in one scene, a domestic scene in which she doesn’t do much other than argue with the Harlequin. However, in this scene, Pretty Alice proves to be passionate, observant, and an independent thinker.

Far from agreeing with her lover’s worldview, she shows the Harlequin the wanted poster advertising his crimes and begs him to stay home with her “just one night,” calling him Everett and claiming that his work as the Harlequin amounts to nothing more than “annoying people” (151). Her frustration with his vigilante activity makes her angry; she “slam[s]” her coffee on the table, throws the fax at the Harlequin, and criticizes him for speaking “with a great deal of inflection” (151). However, Pretty Alice’s own dialogue is littered with italics, indicating a lot of feeling. She is especially exasperated when he says he’ll be home at 10:30 p.m., asking him why he promises a specific time when he knows he’ll be late. Her astute criticism hits home and causes him a brief moment of self-doubt, showing that she has some influence over Everett.

At the end of the story, the Ticktockman claims that Pretty Alice is the one who turned the Harlequin in, that “she wants to belong” (155). The earlier argument between the two characters lends some credence to this report; however, Ellison leaves it up to readers to decide whether Pretty Alice would really wish to conform as the Ticktockman claims.