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Gordon “Gordie” Lachance
The protagonist and narrator of the story, Gordie is an established writer who is writing a memoir about his life and includes the quest to find Ray Brower’s body as a turning point in his childhood. At twelve, Gordie acts out in part because his parents devote their love and attention to his much-older brother, Dennis, even after Dennis’s death. His desire to fit in with his group also means that he downplays his intelligence and writing aspirations, afraid they seem too weak or effeminate. Encouraged by Chris, he begins to realize that embracing these ambitions is the key to getting out of the small-minded town of Castle Rock.
Read an in-depth analysis of Gordon "Gordie" Lachance.
Chris Chambers
Gordie’s closest friend in the group, a sensitive and smart boy labeled as a thief and troublemaker because of his troubled family. The son of an abusive, alcoholic father, Chris also deals with abuse from his violent older brother Eyeball. Despite his reputation, Chris is mature for his age and he’s known in Gordie’s group for being a peacemaker. Over the course of the story, he becomes increasingly frustrated with Teddy and Vern’s childishness and grows closer to Gordie. Nevertheless, he doubts his ability to overcome his bad reputation and pursue the education he will need to get out of Castle Rock.
Read an in-depth analysis of Chris Chambers.
Teddy Duchamp
One of Gordie’s friends, an eccentric, immature, and erratic twelve-year-old boy. Teddy is hot-headed and acts tough, often without regard for his own safety, largely to compensate for his bad eyesight and hearing impairments caused by parental violence. He dreams of going into the military like his father, despite his father’s abuse. His friends do not have the heart to tell him that his disabilities will keep him from being able to join the military. As Teddy grows up, he and Vern will opt to hang out with younger boys he can control instead of Gordie and Chris.
Vern Tessio
One of Gordie’s friends, a nervous twelve-year-old boy who has a reputation for not being very bright. Although finding Ray Brower’s body is his idea, Vern’s actions throughout the story primarily stem from fear. He nearly gets Gordie killed because of his reluctance to cross the railroad trestle bridge, and he is the first to retreat during the confrontation with Ace Merrill. He later grows apart from Gordie and Chris, joining Teddy in lording their age over boys younger than them.
Ray Brower
A boy from the next town over who was hit by a train while picking berries in the woods.
Ace Merrill
The meanest of the older teens, a high school dropout considered a juvenile delinquent and feared by Gordie’s friends. He threatens Gordie’s group with physical violence when they refuse to relinquish credit for finding Ray Brower’s body and he’s particularly enraged when Gordie insults his mother. Ace makes good on those threats, beating Gordie so badly he needs to see a doctor. At the end of the story, he works at the same factory and drinks at the same bar his father did.
Billy Tessio
Vern’s older brother. Billy is part of Ace Merrill’s gang of juvenile delinquents. Although he is one of the first to find Ray Brower’s body, Billy’s too afraid to report it because he drove to the area in a stolen car. He controls Vern through fear and later beats him up in retaliation for Gordie and Chris refusing to let his group take credit for finding the body.
Charlie Hogan
Part of Ace Merrill’s gang, a violent older boy. He is with Billy Tessio when they first find Ray Brower’s body. Seeing the body shakes him up, and he regrets going into the woods that night.
Fuzzy Bracowicz
Part of Ace Merrill’s gang, a violent older boy who helps beat up Gordie in the aftermath of finding the body. He comes up with the idea to return to Ray Brower’s body, suggesting their gang could become heroes if they pretend to have just found it.
Richard “Eyeball” Chambers
Chris’s older brother, a violent high school dropout who hangs around with Billy Tessio and Ace Merrill. He threatens Gordie’s friends when they refuse to give up Ray Brower’s body and beats Chris up in retaliation.
Dennis “Denny” Lachance
Gordie’s much-older brother and the golden child of their family, Dennis dies in a car crash not long before the beginning of the novella. Dennis seems to have been kind and cool, liked by everyone around him. Gordie cannot even bring himself to resent Dennis because he was a good big brother despite the ten-year age gap.
Mr. Chambers
Chris’s father, a violent alcoholic. He spends most of his nights drinking with Junior Merrill. He is enraged by Chris trying to better himself through education, calling him stuck-up and beating him for his effort.
Norman Duchamp
Teddy’s father, a veteran of World War II who fought in the Battle of Normandy. He is a violent man who appears to suffer from PTSD, and he burns Teddy’s ears on the stove for breaking a plate. At the time of the story, he is in a mental hospital.
Mr. and Mrs. Lachance
Gordie’s parents, an emotionally distant couple. Although they never physically abuse Gordie, they emotionally neglect him in favor of their older son, Dennis.
Richie Jenner
The member of Gordie’s group who first finds Gordie’s writing and encourages him to share it with their other friends. Richie has since moved away from Castle Rock.
Miss “Old Lady” Simons
The teacher at Castle Rock Elementary School whom Chris returns the milk money to. She buys herself a new skirt with the money, allowing Chris to be punished as if he never had a change of heart.
Junior Merrill
Ace Merrill’s father, a factory worker who spends his evenings getting drunk with Mr. Chambers.
George Dusset
The owner of the Florida Market. Although he fondly remembers Dennis as a sports hero, he becomes enraged when Gordie calls him out for overcharging him and threatens Gordie with violence.
Milo Pressman
The caretaker of the dump, a mean bully who sets his dog on children who trespass, even though the dump is technically public property.
Chopper
Milo Pressman’s notoriously mean dog. The children of Castle Rock have built a legend around Chopper, describing him as huge and viciously intelligent. In reality, he is an average dog who can easily be tricked into running into the fence.
Mrs. Cote
One of Gordie’s English teachers, who appears in his dream about Chris drowning. In the dream, she orders Chris to repeat the poem “Mending Wall” even though he’s drowning.
Aunt Evvie Chalmers
An elderly resident of Castle Rock who comes to Gordie’s aid when he’s beat up by Ace Merrill and Fuzzy Bracowicz.
Dr. Clarkson
An elderly doctor who looks over Gordie and Chris’s wounds after they get beat up by the older boys. He’s disgusted that neither Gordie nor Chris will report their attackers.
Mrs. McGinn
A neighbor of Chris’s who takes him to the emergency room after Eyeball Chambers beats him up.
“Stud City” Characters
Edward “Chico” May
The main character of Gordie’s short story, an angry teenager who wants nothing more than to escape his small town and abusive family. He is devastated by the death of his older brother Johnny.
Johnny May
Chico’s older brother who has recently died in a car accident at the racetrack where he works. The story strongly hints that he was molested by his stepmother, Virginia, and took the job at the racetrack to avoid being alone with her.
Sam May
Chico’s father, a weak man who hides his weakness behind anger. He’s verbally and physically abusive to Chico.
Virginia May
Chico’s stepmother, a beautiful but manipulative woman who abuses Johnny. She often intentionally stokes Sam’s anger at Chico.
Billy May
Chico’s much younger brother who begs Chico to stop picking fights with Sam.
Jane
Chico’s girlfriend who has just had sex with him for the first time. She seems insecure when she notices other pretty women in Chico’s life. In thinking back over the story, Gordie observes that he wrote Jane as a very flat character.
Sally Morrison
A local woman who has a reputation for sleeping around.
“The Revenge of Lard Ass Hogan” Characters
Davie “Lard Ass” Hogan
The protagonist of this story, a fat kid who intends to enter the Pioneer Days pie-eating contest. Aware that winning the contest will only increase the bullying against him, he concocts a plan to get revenge on the entire town.
Bill Traynor/Travis
The reigning pie-eating champion, Bill is a skinny mechanic who makes money on the side through the bets riding on his yearly Pioneer Day win. When Gordie writes the story down as an adult, he changes his last name from Traynor to Travis.
Calvin Spier
One of the entrants of the pie-eating contest, a fat man who runs a jewelry store.
Bob Cormier
One of the entrants of the pie-eating contest, a local disc-jockey. Gordie hasn’t decided on a name for him when he tells the story to his friends but gives him the name Bob Cormier in the published version.
Hubert Gretna the Third/John Wiggins
One of the entrants of the pie-eating contest, the principal of Davie’s school. Gordie changes his name to John Wiggins in the published version.
Mayor Charbonneau
The mayor of Gretna who announces the pie-eating contest.
Sylvia Dodge
President of the Gretna Ladies Auxiliary who oversees the baking of the pies and keeps time during the contest. She’s staunchly Protestant and Republican.
