Eggers
The eldest child, at 21. He is the caretaker of the family and the guardian of his younger brother, Toph. He is the main character and starts a magazine in Berkeley, CA.
Beth
The middle child, who attends law school in Berkeley.
Toph
The youngest child, at 7. He struggles without a strong adult figure in his life and has very little direction or structure.
The Parents
The unnamed mother and father in this story are the catalysts in this story. Their death spurs the rest of the family's move to California and the beginning of the story.
John
Egger's friend in SF who tries to commit suicide, which makes Eggers panic and become more introspective.
Moodie
Egger's friend with whom he starts Might (the magazine) with.
Shalini
Egger's friend who takes him to the hospital and soon after suffers a near-death fall. She falls into a coma, which is the tipping point for his journey back to Illinois.