Red Kane is the protagonist of The Patience of a Saint, and the other characters serve the function of illuminating the story of his midlife resurrection and his second chance at both life and love.

The character who best serves this purpose is Red's wife, Eileen. Greeley has frequently been criticized for his depiction of female characters. Reviewers often see them as unbelievable, idealized stereotypes of perfection.

Initially, Eileen Ryan Kane appears to fit this category. Although she is middle-aged, she is still beautiful, trim, and sexually appealing to both her husband and other men. She is a welleducated professional, capable of flawlessly running a household as well as managing a demanding career. Taken on a literal level, Eileen strains credibility. On the metaphoric level, however, Eileen (whose name means "light") is a metaphor for the love of God. Greeley has written that lovers should treat each other...