Cyril Avery

Cyril is the adopted son of Charles and Maude Avery and the biological son of Catherine Goggin. Cyril's adoption, of which all of the characters are aware, and his closeted homosexuality inspire two of the major themes of the novel. His adoption is central to the theme that experience is as important as biology in determining what constitutes a familial bond. His homosexuality, which is illegal in his home country of Ireland for most of his life, is central to the theme that a person is shaped by both his personal experiences and the sociocultural and sociopolitical norms of the time and place in which he lives. His ties to Ireland strengthen as he matures, partially because he increasingly accepts his own sexuality and partially because the country becomes more socially progressive. He does not live in Ireland all of his life, but his changing relationship with...