The Good Soldier | 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

John Dowell - This character is the narrator of The Good Soldier as well as the story's main character.

Florence Dowell - This character is small with copper-colored hair, has a heart condition, and commits suicide at the age of thirty-nine.

Captain Edward Ashburnham - This blond, blue-eyed character claims to have a heart condition but is really faking the illness.

Leonora Ashburnham - As a Catholic, this character believes it is a moral obligation to reform one's spouse.

Nancy Rufford - This character is a ward whose mother is a...
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