A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters Character Analysis

Modern-Day Narrator/Julian Barnes

“Shipwreck,” “Parenthesis,” and part of “Three Simple Stories” are essays narrated by a modern-day narrator removed from the fictional parts of the novel, and in “Parenthesis” he identifies himself as a representation of the author… read analysis of Modern-Day Narrator/Julian Barnes

Woodworms

The woodworms appear in “The Stowaway” and “The Wars of Religion.” “The Stowaway” is narrated by a single woodworm, but it speaks for all the woodworms as a group. The woodworms are at the bottom… read analysis of Woodworms

Noah

“The Stowaway” is a retelling of the story of Noah’s Ark, in which Noah is a drunken tyrant who mistreats the animals in his care. The story undermines the heroic image of Noah that… read analysis of Noah

Franklin Hughes

Franklin Hughes is the protagonist of “The Visitors.” He is a popular history lecturer, and he works aboard the Santa Euphemia cruise ship teaching passengers about the ancient societies of the area. He becomes an… read analysis of Franklin Hughes

Kath

Kath is the protagonist of “The Survivor.” Her chapter offers two different interpretations for her story. From Kath’s point of view, she foresees the warning signs of an apocalypse when no one else around her… read analysis of Kath

Amanda Fergusson

Amanda Fergusson is the protagonist of “The Mountain.” She is a deeply Christian woman, and when her atheist father Colonel Fergusson dies, she decides to climb Mount Ararat in an effort to redeem his soul… read analysis of Amanda Fergusson

Charlie

Charlie is the protagonist “Upstream!”, which is told through his letters to his girlfriend Pippa. Charlie is a British actor filming a movie in the South American rainforest, and he becomes fascinated with the… read analysis of Charlie

Spike Tiggler

Spike Tiggler is the protagonist of “Mission Ararat.” He is an astronaut from a small Baptist town in North Carolina, and when he walks on the moon, he hears the voice of God tell him… read analysis of Spike Tiggler

“The Dream” Narrator

“The Dream” is told in first-person, so its narrator is also its protagonist. The narrator shares some similarities with Julian Barnes, the other modern-day first-person narrator, so he may in fact be the same… read analysis of “The Dream” Narrator

Leader of the Hijackers

The leader of the hijackers in “The Visitors” takes control of the cruise ship and pressures Franklin Hughes into serving as a collaborator. The leader tells Franklin his belief that modern globalization means “there are… read analysis of Leader of the Hijackers

Tricia

Tricia is Franklin’s young assistant and girlfriend in “The Visitors.” The hijackers use her as leverage to persuade Franklin to help them control the hostages aboard the cruise ship. Though Franklin’s cooperation with the… read analysis of Tricia

Bartholomé Chassenée

Barthome Chassenée defends the woodworms in “The Wars of Religion” from the townspeople’s charge of blasphemy. Chassenée is a real historical figure, who in 16th-century France defended local rats from a similar charge. Chassenée anchors… read analysis of Bartholomé Chassenée

Prosecuting Lawyer

The prosecuting lawyer represents the townspeople against the woodworms in “The Wars of Religion.” He frequently calls on Biblical stories and figures from Greco-Roman history in his arguments, highlighting the importance of history as a… read analysis of Prosecuting Lawyer

Théodore Géricault

Théodore Géricault is the painter of The Raft of the Medusa, which the chapter “Shipwrecked” is about. Géricault spends eight months alone in his studio working on the painting, and the quiet tension between… read analysis of Théodore Géricault

Colonel Fergusson

Colonel Fergusson is the father of Amanda, and his death sets the plot of “The Mountain” into motion. He is a committed atheist, much to his pious daughter’s dismay. Amanda insists that the Colonel’s… read analysis of Colonel Fergusson

Miss Logan

Miss Logan accompanies Amanda on her journey in “The Mountain” and bears witness to Amanda’s declining mental state. Miss Logan represents a middle ground between Amanda and the Colonel: she is a Christian, but… read analysis of Miss Logan

Lawrence Beesley

Lawrence Beesley is an old man who survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic. There are different versions of the story of his survival, some more dignified than others, and he tries to cling… read analysis of Lawrence Beesley

Jonah

Jonah is a Biblical character whose tale is discussed in the second part of “Three Simple Stories.” The modern-day narrator argues that although most modern people don’t literally believe the story of Jonah being swallowed… read analysis of Jonah

Pippa

Pippa is Charlie’s girlfriend in “Upstream!” and the recipient of his letters. Charlie spends much of the chapter imagining a future with Pippa, ignoring (and expecting her to ignore) the fact that he has… read analysis of Pippa

Minor Characters

Greg

Greg is Kath’s boyfriend in “The Survivor.” In Kath’s doctor’s version of events, Greg breaking up with Kath precipitates her mental break. In Kath’s own understanding, Greg refuses to listen to her about the approaching apocalypse, so she leaves him behind and steals his boat to escape.

18-Year-Old Narrator

The 18-year-old narrator is the point-of-view character for the first part of “Three Simple Stories.” He is a teacher who lacks any faith in human goodness or heroism, and he chooses to believe a version of events that supports his cynicism when he meets Titanic survivor Lawrence Beesley.

Dr. Jimmy Fulgood

Dr. Jimmy Fulgood is a scientist and a Christian who accompanies Spike Tiggler on his mission to Mount Ararat. He is committed to his faith and to the United States, and he frequently expresses discomfort that Russia used to control part of Mount Ararat.

Betty Tiggler

Betty Tiggler is Spike Tiggler’s wife. She doesn’t entirely believe that her husband has been spoken to by God, but she supports him, nonetheless.

Brigitta

Brigitta is the first attendant the narrator of “The Dream” meets in Heaven. She introduces him to the pleasures of Heaven but doesn’t answer any of his deeper, existential questions.

Margaret

Margaret is the second attendant the narrator of “The Dream” meets in Heaven, once he has grown disillusioned with the perpetual perfection of Heaven. She explains that Heaven exists because humans need it to, and it adopts different forms based on what humans want Heaven to look like.

A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters Characters