Short Story Characters

Hanus ELA AP 30

Ann

isolated woman, likes to paint

John

hard-working man, “would take more than a storm to stop \[him\]”

Steven

unfaithful friend, opportunist, attractive

Ellen (The Lamp at Noon)

isolated woman, in denial of her baby’s death, wants to run away

Paul

hard-working man, sexist, has faith in the land

the baby son

killed by his mother, suffocated in a dust storm/in her arms

Ellen’s nephew, Tim’s owner

13 y.o., searches for two yearlings

Tim

a tired horse, rode for a whole day in snow, deserves a break

Ellen (One’s A Heifer)

sends nephew to find yearlings, puzzled but indulgent

Arthur Vickers

uneasy eyes, long black overcoat, plays checkers, definitely crazy

Arthur’s “girl”

cleaner and cook, slow-witted, probably got killed

Isabel’s rider

13 y.o., craven, “butterfingers”, impressionable, imaginative, frostbitten ears

Isabel

beautiful, “dangerous killer”, threw and killed a man, threw and broke another’s collarbone, misunderstood, patient

Millie Dickson

school girl, narrator’s crush, motivator for narrator

Johnny Olsen

“show-off swede”, narrator’s rival

Newscaster’s son

likes to wear his father’s jackets, foolish

Newscaster’s wife

works for government, makes crafts and quilts, loves her son, makes a quilt out of her ex’s shirts,

Newscaster

strong and reassuring voice, foolish, leaves his family, rejects his son to go to California, crepey

Erica

production assistant, had affair with the newscaster, lives downtown

Barbara

weather girl, dated the newscaster, bitter

Jennifer

summer student journalist, dated newscaster, goes with him to California

Eleanor MacLeod

dream is to be a lady, husband and son supported her this dream, loves order, lies about upbringing

Grandfather MacLeod

dream was to be a classical scholar, sacrifices his dream for his wife’s

Ewen MacLeod

dream was to be a merchant marine, gave it up to become a doctor after brother’s death out of guilt, lied about how his brother died to console his mother, worries about wife/baby

Beth MacLeod

had a miscarriage, knows the truth of her brother-in-law’s death

Vanessa MacLeod

10 y.o., finds old books/magazines in the attics, lies about finishing a history book to please her grandmother, has superstitious belief about death because her family doesn’t teach her about it

Edna MacLeod

honest aunt, takes care of her sister after the pregnancy, dislikes Eleanor

Roderick MacLeod

lost an eye to his brother’s air-rifle, died in war, baby is named after him

Mr. MacInnes

told his daughter every night “God loves order”, horse doctor

Amery’s brother

junior executive at oil company, “wakes up” at 12, dreams of being the most talented fisherman in town, gets a scholarship

Amery

7 y.o., wide and bright eyes, chews nails, “wakes up” early, kinship with narrator, works in the gutting plant, doomed to end up like his father

Amery’s father

demanding, criticizing, wanted son to have a better and stable future, gave up on goodness of life, “lukewarm water \[flowed\] through his veins”

Amery’s mother

has worry lines, always anxious, died early, wife of a fish gutter

Mackerel Cove

fishing town, South Shore of Nova Scotia, setting of “Dreams”

Pat’s brother

put a curse on a house, wanted to see himself in his family’s stories, identity crisis

Bernice

Pat’s aunt, arranges sale of narrator’s house, lives in a small and snug house, next door to nine kids

Pat

oldest sister, has a diver’s license,

Jennie

Pat’s younger sister, cried in the backseat when the house was sold

Coco

got hit by a car, bit the driver

Tim (Mirrors)

neighbour to Aunt Bernice, shares everything with 8 siblings

Pat and Jennie’s mother

put in a clinic, wanted to take the boat out for a picnic when it was snowing

Yvonne

Liza’s kindly aunt, compared to rose petals in a summer breeze, vulnerable and delicate

Loonie

offensive name for someone who lives on the island in Lake Winnipeg

Bryan

Liza’s crush

Liza

father’s smile and eyes, tall and skinny, blonde hair, has to spread her father’s ashes on the island but loses her nerve, Ojibwa

Danny Mitchell

first boy to kiss Liza

Ronette

oldest of the Linklater kids, kind and mature, used to sharing everything, including her mother’s attention

Delia

Liza’s rude and often insensitive cousin, crush on guitarist

Wicked Willie

lead guitarist in a heavy metal band

Jason

older brother, punished for vandalism, helps his principal

Cory

5 y.o., acts as a band-aid, brother calls him a “bathtub mouth”, first to skate on the rink

Mr. Givens

former principal, widower, bad relationship with his son

Michael

grown son who isn't very understanding of his father, lives in Toronto, doesn't skate anymore

Bradley

Michael’s son, doesn't want to skate

Shane

“Gang” leader of Jason's group of friends, eggs and pellet guns old principal’s house, goes to “jaydees”

Jaydees

Place for juvenile delinquents, Shane is sent there

Lida Snider

Nicknamed “Lider”, always gets picked last for teams, brown hair, large green eyes, grade 7, compared to a water lily

George

Team A leader in Lida’s gym class

Helena

Team B leader in Lida’s gym class, knobby knees

Tiffany

fairy-like, wide grey eyes, blonde curls, "stands like a Duchess... moves like an angel,” likes to gossip

Mr. Snider

drinks, unemployed, hugs and apologizes to his daughter sometimes

Mrs. Snider

works in Wal-Mart stockroom, loved a ragdoll as a kid that became faceless, had high hopes for family, never says sorry, vakes chocolate chip cookies

Dartmouth

Municipality in Nova Scotia

Sally and Kitty

Lida’s imaginary older and younger sisters

Julie Halloway

tall, straight black hair, father in the Navy, moves a lot, owns pet canary, 12 y.o., compares her friend to a water lily

Mrs. Jollifee

Lida’s teacher at Tower Road School, teaches about similes

Cliff Halloway

Julie’s brother, grade 12, plays piano, self-confident