Characters from The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail

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

Bailey - This character is Henry's vagrant cellmate, who has landed in prison after he fell asleep in somebody's barn and burned it down by accident.

Deacon Nehemiah Ball - This character is a religious leader who also acts as the chairman of the school board and does not like Henry.

Edward Emerson - This character is the son of Waldo and Lydian. He wishes Henry was his father instead of the often absent Waldo.

Lydian Emerson - This character encourages Henry to settle down, get married, and conform. Although she appears to...
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