Young Henry
Young Henry lives in Chinatown in Seattle with his traditionalist father and caring mother. He constantly battles the mixture of ideas that enter his life. Throughout the book he has mixed emotions like falling in love with Keiko which he is formed to become a better person. Young Henry is representative of the coming of age chapter of all human lives.
Older Henry
Older Henry is the reflecting character through which the story is told. He is a model of the lessons learned from the war. Carrying traits of Keiko and his father, Henry navigates the world with these lessons to better himself and his family.
Keiko
Keiko is the Japanese-American girl with whom Henry falls in love. Keiko is a symbol of strength and perseverance; she is pivotal as one of the few female characters in the novel.
Marty
Henry's son, Marty, represents the foil with which Henry must contrast himself and build himself. Marty and his father Henry have many battles, but through the reflection act, both come to grow as people. Marty is newly engaged to his fiance Samantha.
Samantha
Marty's Fiance
Ethel
Ethel is the wife of Henry who, by the time the novel takes place, has passed away.
Sheldon
Sheldon is the African American mentor of Henry. Sheldon plays the saxophone extremely well. Sheldon represents the wise sage in the quest form of the novel.
Mrs. Beatty
Mrs. Beatty is the lunch lady who acts as a protector to both Keiko and Henry. Working at Rainer, Mrs. Beatty encounters Henry and Keiko in their scholarship tasks.
Chaz Preston
Chaz Preston, Henry's foe, symbolizes the danger of nationalism and prejudice in the novel. He often terrorizes both his neighborhood and Keiko and Henry.
Mr. Okabe
Keiko's father and the voice of reason and patriotism in the novel.
