Michael
Michael is the narrator and protagonist of Brother. The Canada-born child of Black and South Asian immigrants from Trinidad, Michael has lived his whole life in an impoverished area of Scarborough, Ontario. As a child, Michael is the timid and socially awkward younger brother of Francis, who instructs Michael to carry himself in a way that others will perceive as cool and tough. When Francis is shot dead by police, Michael dedicates himself to caring for their heartbroken and mentally unstable mother, Ruth. A decade later, Michael is working a low-paid job stocking shelves at a supermarket. When Michael invites his high-school girlfriend Aisha to stay with him and Ruth, Michael is forced to revisit the trauma of his brother's death, which he and Ruth have been trying to deny and repress.
Francis
Francis is Michael's older brother. While Michael is awkward, Francis carries himself with confidence and, at times, menace. Though he puts up a tough front, Francis is loyal and protective when it comes to Michael, Ruth, and his best friend, Jelly. In high school, Francis drops out and begins earning money in mysterious circumstances that make Ruth worry he is associating with criminals. Francis spends much of his time at Desirea's, a barbershop and hangout where Jelly spins records. When Jelly fails to impress the judges at a DJing audition for a big hip-hop concert coming to town, Francis gets in a physical fight with the bouncers. Later that day, the police come to Desirea's. Dazed and defiant, Francis reaches to still the hand of a cop reaching for his weapon and manhandling Jelly. The police open fire on Francis, killing him in what investigators later deem a lawful shooting.
Ruth
Ruth is the mother of Michael and Francis. Born in the impoverished inland village of Ste. Madeleine, Trinidad, Ruth raises her sons on her own after their father abandons the family. Unable to afford to finish her nurse training, Ruth works long hours as a cleaner, meaning her sons are often at home without adult supervision. Ruth is fiercely protective and equally worried that the boys will ruin their lives by falling in with bad crowds and negative influences. Ruth also shows herself to have a temper, slapping Francis in the face when she learns he is hanging around with people she doesn't approve of and throwing a pickle jar at the wall in anger when Francis disappears for two days. When Francis dies, grief leads Ruth into a state of poor mental health. She becomes increasingly dissociated and erratic, and depends on Michael to look after her well-being.
Aisha
Aisha is a local girl who Michael falls in love with. After growing up together, the two begin a relationship when they are teenagers. However, Michael refuses to see her after Francis dies. After a decade away from the Park, Aisha returns for her father's funeral. Michael invites Aisha to stay with him and Ruth. While living in the apartment, Aisha prompts Ruth and Michael to confront their grief and move on, having understood that both have been stunted by Francis's killing. While Michael initially resists Aisha's attempts at having the two process their grief, by the end of the book Michael accepts that she is trying to help.
Jelly
Jelly is Francis's best friend. A DJ, Jelly spends his days spinning records at Desirea's. When a hip-hop concert comes to town, Jelly auditions to be featured as an opening act. His eclectic taste and ability to combine sounds from disparate genres impress his group of friends but fail to sway the judges. Later that day, the police come to Desirea's in tactical gear. When a cop manhandles Jelly, Francis reaches to stop the cop from grabbing his weapon, leading Francis to be killed by the police. A decade later, Jelly drifts around the Park seemingly with no job and nowhere to live. Ruth invites him to crash at her place, provoking anger and distrust from Michael. As a guest, Jelly says little but shows his appreciation by cooking elaborate meals and playing old records that Ruth enjoys.
Samuel
Samuel is Aisha's father. Hailing from the same Trinidadian village as Ruth, Samuel raises his daughter alone in the same building complex of the Park as Michael, Francis, and Ruth. Samuel is a stern, imposing figure who seems to disapprove of his daughter dating Michael when they are teenagers. A decade after Francis dies, Samuel encounters Michael in the library and reveals that he and Francis used to listen to old records together on occasion. Without telling his daughter he is ill, Samuel moves himself into hospice care and dies of cancer, prompting Aisha to return for his funeral.
Anton
Anton is a local boy in the Park. The same summer Francis is shot by police, Michael and Francis witness Anton get gunned down by unseen assailants, presumably because of a gang feud. Michael has no particular fondness for Anton, but had previously offered him help when he saw Anton get beat up by a group of older males. Anton laughed the incident off but Michael could tell he was trying to hide his pain and embarrassment. Anton's murder is significant because it creates a charged atmosphere in the Park and influences the police's suspicion of Francis when they shoot him in Desirea's.
Francis's and Michael's Father
Francis's and Michael's father is a Trinidadian immigrant of South Asian descent. Because he left their mother when the boys were young, Michael and Francis only know their father from a few photographs. When they are teenagers, Francis reveals to Michael that he has tracked down their father. When the boys arrive at his apartment building in Scarborough, their father pretends over the buzzer system that they must have him confused for someone else. Michael sees a man who is presumably his father briefly at Francis's funeral: a man in a tan suit who sits in the back, nods at Michael, and leaves promptly after the service.
Dru
Dru is the proprietor of Desirea's, a strip-mall barbershop that becomes a hangout for Francis and Jelly. A cultural hub, Desirea's is a place for young people to get fashionable haircuts, listen to hip-hop, and socialize. Dru closes Desirea's after Francis's shooting. Years later, Michael runs into Dru, who has a young daughter.
Ruth's Sister
Ruth's sister is a Trinidadian woman who lives in Ste. Madeleine. When Francis and Michael are young, Ruth takes them to stay with her sister in the village. As they are leaving for the airport, Ruth's sister admits that she envies Ruth for having moved away to live a perfect life in Canada. However, Ruth's sister is unaware that Ruth's husband left her and that Ruth couldn't afford to finish her nursing training.
