Braling
Braling, the story’s protagonist, is Smith’s good friend and Mrs. Braling’s husband. He is about thirty-five years old and has slightly graying hair and “sad gray eyes.” Ten years ago, after presumably having…
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Smith
Smith is Braling’s good friend and Nettie Smith’s husband. He’s about thirty-five years old and has been married for ten years. He feels suffocated by his wife, who constantly dotes on him and…
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Nettie Smith
Nettie Smith is Smith’s overly affectionate wife. According to Smith, Nettie constantly smothers him with hugs and kisses and rarely lets him out of her sight. Although Smith knows he should be grateful for…
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Braling Two
Braling Two is Braling’s marionette, which he secretly purchased from Marionettes, Inc. Braling Two looks (and even smells) exactly like the real Braling: both look to be about thirty-five and have slightly graying hair…
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Mrs. Braling
Mrs. Braling is Braling’s hateful, controlling wife. She forced Braling into marrying her by threatening him with a rape accusation (after the pair presumably had mutually consenting sex). Ten years later, she is still…
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Minor Characters
Bud Chapman
A man that Nettie Smith used to like. She eventually chose to marry Smith instead—a decision Smith is still somewhat baffled by ten years later.
