Character analysis: Martin Clougherty from Dark Tide

Martin Clougherty was the owner of a Boston night club owner who lived in the shadow of the gigantic molasses tank. In the early morning of January 15th 1919, Clougherty thought to himself about how he finally earned enough money so he could move away from the north end and into a nicer home near Revere. He was looking to go his accountant later that day to "hammer out the details" of selling the Pen an Pencil Club and his mothers home so he could buy the house. Little did he know that just hours later, the house he was planing on moving from would be washed away from its footprint by a wave of molasses from the collapsed tank- with him and his family inside.

Martin Clougherty was a brave and selfless human being. It takes a strong will to get through what he had to. Moments after he and his family were immersed in molasses, he managed to pull himself out and go back in to retrieve his sister, through many feet of thick sticky molasses, out of pure selflessness. His mother was not as fortunate as Martin or his sister, and later died by being crushed in the collapsing building. Steven Clougherty, Martins brother dug himself out of the molasses, and suffered from Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, from being thrown around in the building by the massive wave of molasses. Martin did not worry about his own issues, like his mother dying or not having a home to sleep in anymore. His only concern was his mentally damaged brother. Martin sent him to their cousins house to hopefully recover, but when that didn't work, Martin paid for him to be put into a mental institution to help cure Stevens PTSD. It was a tough decision, leaving his brothers stability in the hands of someone who wasn't family, but Martin thought it was best for his dear brother. Martin promised he would visit Steven. Steven later died, a few months later. 

With the loss of a brother and a mother, Martin still moved on staying strong and still caring for others and that shows will power. Watching his own brother whither away and still being able to face him everyday until he died takes strength to be by Stevens side though it. Martin did not fall down and just stay there, he got back up and carried on, remembering the love he had in his heart for his mother and brother.