Thomas is a teen-aged boy who functions as the special woodcarver for Kira's community. Even before Kira comes to live at the Council Edifice, she knows about him. He is called Thomas the Carver, and he is a gifted woodcarver who carves decorative items for "the elite of the village." When Kira moves into the Edifice, Thomas comes to see her. They become friends. As they compare their stories, they realize that each of them is an artist; Thomas has amazing skill with wood just as Kira has with thread.
Thomas reports that both his parents were killed at the same time--being struck by lightning. Kira is surprised at that unlikely event, and with good reason. Later Kira realizes that the guardians, or perhaps only Jamison, has been gathering the young artists together to perform his bidding. He has been responsible for the deaths or disappearance of Thomas's, Jo's, and Kira's parents. Thomas was brought to the Edifice at such a young age that he is actually content being a prisoner of the guardians. He believes, accurately, that his life in the Edifice is much better than a life in the village would have been, so he doesn't let his captivity bother him. Still, he has lost something by working for the guardians. When he first came to the Edifice, he was mischievous, "just like Matt." Now, however, he's satisfied to have "better tools than we did before. Good food. Work to do."
Thomas is a foil for Kira. Although they are both artists, he doesn't think deeply about his role or why things are the way they are. Kira's depth of insight is more notable when compared to Thomas's complacency.
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