Ordinary People | Teaching Key Figures

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

Karen Aldrich - This character has been in the mental hospital and, after being released, commits suicide.

Arnold Bacon - This character is a mentor to another character.

Dr. Berger - This character is a psychiatrist who lies on the floor with patients during therapy.

Audrey Butler - This character is the wife of another character and tries to intercede in an argument between two other characters.

Ellen Butler - This character incessantly nags, illustrating the generation gap between family members.

Howard Butler - This character is very excited about giving another character...
(read more)