Tessa Daly

Tessa is the narrative’s protagonist. She is Marian’s sister, Finn’s mother, and Tom’s ex-wife. Her mother helps her care for Finn. She worries about Finn just as her mother worries about her children. She believes in doing what is right. However, she admires Marian’s spirit. Tessa is willing to break the law for family. Their mother meets with Marian on a regular basis even though she is a fugitive. Tessa grows throughout the narrative as she learns that taking risks in life allows her to live as opposed to simply existing.

At the beginning of the narrative Tessa is scared of life and observes it instead of taking an active part in it. She worries about the IRA. She worries about Finn. She worries about how she will be perceived at work as a single mother even though the editorial head is...