Content Warning: This section includes discussions of alcoholism and addiction, death, and racism.

Cyrus is the protagonist of Martyr! His desire to write a book about martyrdom drives the plot forward. Cyrus’s character flaws are a primary focus of the novel; he has a self-centered desire to die as a martyr, copes with his trauma and grief through substance use, and is very frequently ruthless in his judgments of others. Throughout his time communicating with Orkideh at the Brooklyn Museum, these character traits are challenged, forcing him to undergo significant development.

At the novel’s outset, Cyrus is already well on his way to recovery from addiction with the help of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and his sponsor, Gabe, but he is still grappling with the conditions that drove him to addiction in the first place. While sharing with the group at his AA meeting, he says, “I used to piss the bed all the time and try to kill myself. And I don’t piss the bed anymore, at least. So there’s something here, right? Objectively. But I resist it. I feel sad all the time. Angry” (23). His sadness is often self-indulgent, a trait that alienates those who love him.