The Landlord
In this excerpt, the Landlord acts as a mirror for other characters in the book. According to the author, the Landlord was once an artist in his youth; however, after the war, his family’s wealth was reduced to an old manor. After giving up on his dreams of becoming a famous artist, the Landlord now lives in the old family mansion.
Mr. and Mrs. Phillips
Mr. and Mrs. Philip work for the Landlord. They handle different duties such as cleaning and cooking. The Phillipses are also new in town, unconnected and unfamiliar. However, they are very good at taking care of the house and its lazy owner.
Pitton
Pitton also works for the Landlord as a gardener. Pitton is also new in the area but unlike the Phillipses, he is more dependent and unstable. After he loses his job, Pitton is devastated and cannot bear to look for another job. He considers himself a country gentleman.
Bray
Bray is different from the rest of the group, he does not rely on the Landlord. He owns a car hire business and lives next to the Landlord. His family has been living in Trinidad for decades, his father and grandfather worked for the Landlord’s family. Bray considers himself a “free man” because of his financial dependence.
