- Eddie: The protagonist and main character around whom the story centers; at the start of the story, he is killed on his 83rd birthday.
- Marguerite: Eddie's wife whom he met at Ruby Pier and married after returning from World War II.
- Joseph Corvelzchik, The Blue Man: Joseph is the first man Eddie meets in Heaven. His skin had been turned blue when he was a boy because of the repeated ingestion of silver nitrate, thought to be an effective medication at the time.
- The Captain: Eddie's commanding officer during the war.
- Ruby: A middle-aged widow for whom Ruby Pier is named by her fiancé Emile.
- Emile: Ruby's husband, who also created the original Ruby Pier.
- Mickey Shea: An alcoholic Irishman, the longtime close friend of Eddie's mother and father. Mickey is impulsive, festive, and lonely. Mickey helps Eddie's father get his job at Ruby Pier, and when Eddie is born, he gives his parents money to help with their financial struggles.
- Tala: Eddie's fifth person in heaven, a little Filipino girl who Eddie unknowingly killed while he and his unit are escaping captivity during the war. Tala is affectionate, trusting, and wise. Following her mother's instructions, Tala hides from Eddie and his men in one of the abandoned village huts.
- Nicky: Mentioned only briefly, a teenage boy who frequently visits Ruby Pier. Nicky turns out to be the grandson of Ruby, for whom the amusement park was named. Nicky loses his car key on the ride “Freddy's Free Fall” a few weeks before Eddie dies.
This content is from Wikipedia. GradeSaver is providing this content as a courtesy until we can offer a professionally written study guide by one of our staff editors. We do not consider this content professional or citable. Please use your discretion when relying on it.
