Lawson
Lawson is the main character. He falls in love with the half-native woman Ethel, and they start a seemingly idyllic life until the differences between them start being too much to bear. Lawson starts drinking and falling deeper into the misery. His life on the island of Samoa stops being meaningful, and he ends his life.
Ethel
Ethel is a half-native woman whom Lawson falls in love with after seeing her swim in the secluded pool. Ethel, just like Lawson, starts hopeful with their marriage, but soon discovers that she can't live away from her home and family, and decides to leave England without him. This is the start of the end of their love story.
Miller
Miller is an overweight German-American leading a business on the island of Samoa. He doesn't like that Lawson hits his wife, and decides to let him know, which leads Lawson to suspect that Ethel cheats on him with Miller. He is one of the men who discover Lawson's body at the bottom of the pool.
Brevald
Brevald is Ethel's father. He is a Norwegian man who fathered many children with his native wives. They all left, aside from Ethel. He is happy to see Ethel married to a white man, until the cycle of domestic abuse starts.
