- Miles Halter ("Pudge")
- Miles Halter is the novel's main character and narrator, who has an unusual passion in learning famous people's last words. He transfers to the boarding school Culver Creek in search of his own "Great Perhaps." He is nicknamed "Pudge" by his roommate because he is tall and skinny. Miles is attracted to Alaska Young, who mostly does not reciprocate his feelings. As seen through interactions with other characters, Miles can be categorized as independent and curious, but also unique.[16]
- Alaska Young
- Alaska is a wild, unpredictable, beautiful, and enigmatic girl with a sad backstory who captures Miles' attention and heart. She acts as a confidante to her friends, frequently assisting them in personal matters, including providing them with cigarettes and alcohol. She is described as living in a "reckless world." After receiving an unknown call, Alaska dies in a car accident, and the second half of the novel focuses on uncovering the mystery from the night she died. At the end of the book, it is not confirmed whether her death was an accident or suicide.
- Chip Martin ("The Colonel")
- Chip "The Colonel" Martin is five feet tall but "built like a scale model of Adonis".[17] He is Alaska's best friend and Miles' roommate. He is the strategic mastermind behind the schemes that Alaska concocts and in charge of everyone's nicknames. Coming from a poor background, he is obsessed with loyalty and honor, especially towards his beloved mother, Dolores, who lives in a trailer.
- Takumi Hikohito
- Takumi is a gifted Japanese MC and hip-hop enthusiast and friend of Alaska and Chip. He often feels overlooked in the plans of Miles, Chip, and Alaska. Towards the end of the novel he returns to Japan.
- Lara Buterskaya
- Lara is a Romanian immigrant who is Alaska's friend and becomes Miles' girlfriend, ex-girlfriend, and eventually girlfriend again. She is described as having a mild accent.
- Mr. Starnes
- Mr. Starnes is the strict dean of students at Culver Creek, nicknamed "The Eagle" by the students. He is pranked by Miles, Chip, Alaska, Lara and Takumi multiple times throughout the novel.
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