The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store: Character List

Moshe Ludlow

A Jewish Romanian immigrant theater owner, and resident of Chicken Hill. Moshe is highly superstitious and nervous but also a devoted man, one who dedicates his life to his beloved wife, Chona Ludlow. While a principled man, he does not possess the same levels of bravery, tenacity, and obstinacy as Chona. With his integrated theater and close friendship with Nate Timblin, Moshe is a symbol of unity. He also embodies the Jewish American experience, illustrating the challenge of balancing assimilation in a new country while remaining true to one's heritage.

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Chona Ludlow

A freethinking, outspoken, and determined Jewish woman, and Moshe Ludlow's wife. Chona is steadfast in her beliefs and her defense of the Jewish and Black communities of Chicken Hill, and she adamantly refuses to conform to society's prejudiced ideals. Chona, defined as "all soul," endears herself to all, forging strong connections with local Jews as well as African Americans. More than any other character in the novel, she acts as a bridge between Chicken Hill's Jewish and Black communities, and her generosity and kindness are valued by all.

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Nate Timblin

A Black man and Chicken Hill resident married to Addie Timblin and employed by Moshe Ludlow. On the surface, Nate is loyal, hardworking, dependable, calm, and stoic. He holds a deep love for his wife Addie and for his nephew Dodo, and is extremely protective of those he loves. Throughout Chicken Hill, Nate is widely respected and admired. He is often looked to as a leader, indicating the profound influence he has on the community. However, Nate has some hidden characteristics as well. Behind his carefully maintained facade, he has a dark, secret past and possesses a capacity for intense rage and violence. Consequently, Nate can be an intimidating presence.

Dodo

A young, orphaned, and deaf Black boy, and nephew to Addie and Nate Timblin. As a constant victim of injustice, particularly at Pennhurst, Dodo symbolizes society's tendency to abuse and exploit the vulnerable. He epitomizes life as an outsider, existing outside of the confines of what society considers normal. Dodo has a brilliant mind but because he cannot communicate in the same way others can, his intellect and potential are often overlooked. Dodo also serves as a unifying force in the novel as a resilient, cohesive community rallies to come to his aid.

Addie Timblin

Nate Timblin's wife, Dodo's aunt, and a resident of Chicken Hill. Addie is steadfast and strong-willed, unafraid to verbalize her thoughts and opinions. She is extremely loyal to those she loves, particularly Nate, Dodo, and Chona Ludlow. Her unwavering devotion to Chona, especially when she falls ill, is a moving testament to friendships that transcend cultural differences and backgrounds.

Malachi

A Jewish immigrant and wonderful dancer, initially referred to as "the Hasid." Malachi brings lightness and joy wherever he goes, particularly to his dear friend Moshe Ludlow. He is giving and kind, yet also possesses outdated, racist beliefs and is at times prejudiced toward Chicken Hill's Black population. Hesitant to fully assimilate into American society, Malachi symbolizes the old Jewish order and tradition.

Doc Earl Roberts

Pottstown's only physician, and a vicious racist and antisemite. Doc proudly aligns himself with the Ku Klux Klan and holds deeply bigoted beliefs about the town's Jewish, Black, and immigrant populations. Despite his antisemitism, he has a perverse obsession with Chona Ludlow, wanting more to own her than be with her, and becomes enraged when she rejects him. Doc has a bad temper and is prone to fits of violence, and his character represents traditional white Christian America.

Monkey Pants

A young white boy suffering from cerebral palsy who befriends Dodo at Pennhurst. Like Dodo, Monkey Pants is ostracized due to his disability. Unable to communicate or express himself verbally, he is trapped inside a mental institution that more closely resembles a prison. Besides Dodo, no one takes the time to see beyond his disability, reflecting society's tendency to overlook and dismiss what lies beneath the surface. Monkey Pants is kind, compassionate, and selfless, offering Dodo solace and companionship when nearly no one else does. Their friendship is a guiding force of the novel, symbolizing the importance of human connection.

Isaac Moskovitz

A Jewish immigrant theater owner and cousin of Moshe Ludlow. Originally from Romania, Isaac settles in Philadelphia where he becomes a successful and wealthy business owner, rendering Isaac a powerful symbol of assimilation. Isaac’s character is juxtaposed with that of Moshe. Though the two immigrated to the States together, their pathways in life diverged. While Moshe maintained his kindness and loving nature, embracing his life as a small-town theater owner with a beloved wife, Isaac pursues a rich but loveless life, though he remains loyal to his family. He believes himself to be unprincipled, an opinion that contradicts the instrumental role he plays in rescuing Dodo and resolving the shul's water supply issue.

Fatty Davis

A Black resident of Chicken Hill who runs the local jook joint. Fatty is Bernice Davis's brother and a close friend of characters like Big Soap, Paper Millison, and Rusty. Fatty is resourceful and largely looks out for his own interests, though he is nonetheless a trusted member of the community whose help is enlisted to both rescue Dodo and resolve the shul's water supply issue. He plays an instrumental role in both operations, indirectly and unknowingly leading to the discovery of the skeleton at the start of the novel.

Gustowskis "Gus" Plitzka

The white city council president of Pottstown and owner of Clover Dairy. Gus is an ambitious self-starter, dedicated to increasing his wealth and status. He is also an extremely prideful and vindictive man who holds grudges, even withholding water from the local shul due to a personal grievance with Chona Ludlow. Gus is also a bigot and maintains highly prejudiced beliefs about Pottstown's immigrant and minority populations. His consolidation of power, land acquisitions, and water scandal reflect the frequent lack of transparency in politics.

Patty "Paper" Millison

A Black laundress from Chicken Hill who is widely considered to be the town gossip. With her alluring looks and personality, she effortlessly collects information about other people in town and shares her stories with friends and neighbors. However, instead of weaponizing the information she collects, Paper appears to be a kind and loyal person who plays a key role in Dodo's rescue from Pennhurst, despite the potential dangers associated with being involved.

Enzo "Big Soap" Carissimi

A white Italian immigrant and friend of Fatty Davis. Big Soap seems to go along with whatever plans he is recruited for, easily bending to the will of others whether he is taking on the bulk of the responsibility at work as Fatty slacks off or agreeing to help Fatty with the water job.

Miggy Fludd

A Black resident of Hemlock Row, a laundress for Pennhurst, and an old coworker of Paper Millison. As a member of the Lowgod family, Miggy represents a Black population that exists even further on the outskirts of white America than the Black community of Chicken Hill. Resourceful and firm in her beliefs, she is also deeply spiritual and gives hope to people in her community with her oracle readings. She is exceptionally brave, standing up against injustice despite threats to her own safety, as evidenced by her actions with both Duck Boy and Dodo.

Bernice Davis

A Black Chicken Hill resident and Fatty's sister, as well as Chona Ludlow's childhood friend. She can be disagreeable and off-putting, though she remains loyal to her community, immediately agreeing to help Dodo and later Isaac with his mass operations to rescue both Dodo and the shul's water supply. The juxtaposition between the ways Bernice and Chona are treated as children in school reflects the societal racial prejudice that shapes lives from an early age. Bernice also serves as a turning point for Chona who, as Bernice begins to withdraw from their friendship and is targeted by teachers at school, begins to recognize the limits of her own life.

Rusty

A young Black handyman from Chicken Hill. He is a resourceful and trusted member of the community.

Son of Man

A Black man from Hemlock Row and a member of the Lowgod family. He works as an attendant at Pennhurst and is defined by his cruelty and abuse. Frequently described by others as dangerous, he is representative of injustice, violence, and malice, and numerous characters throughout the text warn others of his depravity and immorality. Son of Man also indicates that he knows Nate Timblin, therefore becoming a symbol of Nate's dark and mysterious past.

Norman Skrupskelis

A Jewish shoemaker and immigrant, father to both Marvin and Irv. He serves as one of the earliest examples of Doc Roberts's antisemitism in the narrative. Despite Norman's kindness in crafting a special shoe to ease Doc's polio-induced pain, Doc refuses to acknowledge the gesture with gratitude. Instead, he believes Norman to be arrogant when, in reality, the root of Doc's disdain lies in his prejudice.

Marvin Skrupskelis

A Jewish shoemaker and immigrant, and the son of Norman and brother of Irv. Marv is a highly principled, as well as driven and assertive, boldly traveling to Philadelphia to seek Isaac Moskovitz's help when Marv decides he wants to take down both Doc Roberts and Gus Plitzka. When Isaac shoots down the idea, Marv involves himself in Isaac's schemes to free Dodo and resolve the water supply issue.

Irv Skrupskelis

A Jewish shoemaker and immigrant, and the son of Norman and brother of Marvin.

Karl Feldman

The rabbi who replaces Yakov Flohr after his death. Though lightly mocked by others, he is a respected man and plays a role in uncovering the truth about the shul's water supply issue.

Reverend Ed "Snooks" Spriggs

A Black man from Chicken Hill initially suspected of exposing Dodo's whereabouts, though it turns out not to be true. Although he is the reverend and technically the leader of Chicken Hill's Black population, Nate Timblin is the community's unofficial leader due to the widespread respect he inspires.

Shad Davis

A Black Chicken Hill resident and father to Fatty and Bernice Davis who dies before the events of the novel. He was also an old co-worker of Chona's father, Yakov Flohr. He is hardworking and respectable and became close friends with Yakov, with whom he helped build a house, the Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, and the neighborhood's synagogue. After Shad's death, Yakov helped look out for his family. Shad is also the one who sets up the water pipes that launch one of the central issues of the novel.

Yakov Flohr

Pottstown's old rabbi, owner of the Heaven & Earth Grocery store, and father to Chona Ludlow. He is a hardworking, kind, and good-hearted man who helps Shad's family after his death and welcomes Moshe Ludlow into his home to read from his Talmud when Moshe is struggling.

Bags

A Black man from Chicken Hill and Rusty's uncle.

Nig Rosen

A dangerous gangster from whom Gus Plitzka borrows money and then fails to repay, setting off a chain of events that ultimately leads to the discovery of the skeleton at the start of the novel.

Henry Lit

One of gangster Nig Rosen's workers. After Gus Plitzka fails to pay back his debt to Rosen, Henry is sent to intimidate him, but mistakes Doc Roberts for Gus.

Thelma Herring

Dodo's mother and Addie Timblin's sister.

Bullis

A friend of Miggy Fludd’s who is also known as the Egg Man due to his job as an egg delivery man for Pennhurst.

Anna Morse

The owner of Morse's Funeral Home and Nate Timblin's former employer. She seems to be a kind and thoughtful woman and unknowingly plays a role in bringing Nate to Hemlock Row for his scheme to free Dodo from Pennhurst.

Fioria Carissimi

An Italian immigrant and mother to Enzo, also known as Big Soap. She is direct and unyielding, demanding answers from her son and his friends about the truth of Chona Ludlow's encounter with Doc Roberts.

Pia Fabicelli

A cleaning lady and friend of Fioria Carissimi. Pia highlights the power imbalances that emerge between majority and minority groups in America. She stays silent about Doc Roberts's inappropriate behavior towards her, indicating that he represents the white male Christian America that holds all the privilege and power.

Hirshel Koffler

A Jewish immigrant from Austria and Yigel Koffler's brother. He plays a role in Dodo's escape plan.

Yigel Koffler

A Jewish immigrant from Austria and Hirshel Koffler's brother. He plays a role in Dodo's escape plan.

Carl Boydkins

One of the men from the government who comes to take Dodo away, and a distant cousin of Doc Roberts. Like his cousin, Carl is an antisemite and bigot. It is only after Carl's prompting that Doc agrees to search for Dodo.

Mickey Katz

A Jewish klezmer musician who puts on a fabulous performance at Moshe Ludlow's All American Dance Hall and Theater. His performance sparks several consecutive nights of Jewish joy and celebration. The performance serves as a turning point for Moshe, as his anxiety over the performance leads him to the Heaven & Earth Grocery Store where he meets and falls in love with Chona.

Chick Webb

The first Black musician that Moshe Ludlow invites to perform at his All American Dance Hall and Theater, signaling the theater's official integration. As a hunchback, he mirrors characters like Chona Ludlow as well as figures like Moses who also live with disabilities. Chick Webb is described as a "joymaker," bringing immense lightness and merriment.

Mario Bauzá

The leader of an Afro-Cuban musical group that performs at Moshe's All American Dance Hall and Theater. Moshe notices audiences show a preference for Bauzá's music over more traditional sounds. This shift reflects a growing diversity in cultural and musical tastes in America, signaling a rejection of old traditions.

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