Little Boy
The narrator of the story. Age unknown and purpose of composing the story unknown…until nearly the very end. Mostly an objective observer of events, but his interpretation of those events reflects a maturing consciousness.
Father
Little Boy’s father, to be precise. Very WASP-ish maker of patriotic gimmickry and fancies himself to be a great explorer. This leads to his decision to join Robert Peary on his way to the North Pole; a decision that will result in significant consequences to his family while he is absent.
Mother
Wife to Father, her attitudes toward life undergo enormous evolution following the discovery of a black foundling in her flower garden. Becomes the manager of Father’s business while he heads to the North Pole and this leads to a growing interest in socialism and feminism.
Young Brother
Mother’s younger sibling, to be precise. Falls in love with real life character Evelyn Nesbit. Also a devoted socialist who becomes an advocate for another real life figure Emma Goldman. Through this association, eventually he organizes the employees working for Father into a union.
Tateh
Tateh is an immigrant with a wife and young daughter. He leaves his wife after finding she has prostituted herself to pay the rent and through his artistic ability rises to become a pioneer in the new art of filmmaking. Success leads to a name change—Baron Ashkenazy—and a new wife. After Father drowns at sea, he marries Mother.
Coalhouse Walker
Ragtime pianist who turns out to be the father of the baby that Mother discovers in her garden. A series of racially motivated hate crimes serves to transform Coalhouse into a violent activist for black rights, thus setting him up for a climactic showdown with his nemesis, Chief Willie Conklin.
Chief Willie Conklin
Pathetic “America First” racist Chief of the Emerald Island Fire Engine Company. His racially charged anger at the success of Coalhouse leads Conklin and his fellow firefighter to be the root cause of the violent deaths of many innocents.
