Characters from Light in August

Character Descriptions

This section provides a short description of all the major characters in the book. This can be printed out as a study guide for students, used as a "key" for leading a class discussion, or you can jump to the quiz/homework section to find worksheets that incorporate these descriptions into a variety of question formats.

Characters

Joe Christmas - Much of the novel is devoted to an artistic and psychological study of this character. He is the central figure and plays both the role of sacrificial lamb and hot-blooded murderer.

Byron Bunch - This character is a man afraid of his own demons and afraid of taking the emotional risks necessary to live a full life. He spends as much time as possible at the planing mill where he works, hoping to avoid trouble.

Joe Brown, A.K.A. Lucas Burch - This character is known around Jefferson as a loud-mouthed,...
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