Outer Dark Character Analysis

Culla Holme

Culla Holme is the older brother of Rinthy and the father of her child. Knowing that his incestuous relationship with his sister is wrong, he attempts first to hide his guilt by keeping Rinthy… read analysis of Culla Holme

Rinthy Holme

Rinthy Holme is the 19-year-old younger sister of Culla Holme. She lives alone with her brother in their isolated cabin, where she is subjected to an incestuous relationship that leaves her pregnant. After she… read analysis of Rinthy Holme

Tinker

The tinker is an itinerant salesman who travels the countryside hawking his wares to rural people like Culla and Rinthy Holme. An older man, his back is bent from 40 years of pulling his… read analysis of Tinker

Bearded Man

The bearded man is a member of the trio which terrorizes the countryside and stalks behind Culla Holme. His worn-out boots, one of which is split (or “cloven”) nearly in two, identifies him with… read analysis of Bearded Man

Nameless Man

The nameless man is the third member of the trio stalking the countryside and chasing Culla Holme, along with the bearded man and Harmon. The book presents the nameless man as disabled or… read analysis of Nameless Man

Squire (Squire Salter)

Squire Salter is a country gentleman and widower who lives on a farm which is burgled by the bearded man, the nameless man, and Harmon. He hires Culla Holme to chop up… read analysis of Squire (Squire Salter)

Mother

Married to the father, and mother to the boy and two daughters, the mother is a member of the first family who helps Rinthy on her journey. She is kind and generous, convincing her… read analysis of Mother

Father

Married to the mother, and father to the boy and two daughters, the father is a member of the first family who helps Rinthy on her journey. Wary of danger, he hesitates to let… read analysis of Father

Grandmother

The grandmother is a member of the family consisting also of the father, mother, boy, and two unnamed girls. A freak accident with a section of stovepipe left her visibly scarred after… read analysis of Grandmother

Boy

The boy is the son of the father and mother and the grandson of the grandmother. When his family takes Rinthy in for the night and gives her a ride into town, he takes… read analysis of Boy

Turnip Farmer (Bud)

The turnip farmer is the husband of the butter maker and is a person whom Rinthy Holme encounters on her journey. Although he initially admonishes Rinthy for stealing some turnips from his garden, he takes… read analysis of Turnip Farmer (Bud)

Butter Maker

The butter maker is the wife of the turnip farmer and a person who shows Rinthy Holme kindness and compassion on her difficult journey. The butter maker earns a living from a cottage industry making… read analysis of Butter Maker

Old Woman

The old woman is a widow who lives in a dilapidated cabin in the woods along the road. When Rinthy passes by, she’s out hunting snakes. She invites Rinthy in and feeds her. She realizes… read analysis of Old Woman

Old Man

The old man is someone whom Culla Holme encounters on the road. Although the book doesn’t make an explicit connection between the two, it hints that the old man, who keeps the kind of… read analysis of Old Man

Clark

Clark is an enterprising businessman who has a general store, an auction business, and a turpentine-manufacturing outfit in one of the towns on Culla Holme’s path. He also seems to be a country lawman… read analysis of Clark

Doctor

The doctor is a neighbor of the lawyer and a person whom Rinthy Holme encounters on her journey. Although he disbelieves Rinthy’s story—given the six months which have passed since she believes she gave birth… read analysis of Doctor

Ferryman

Born and raised in Morgan, which in his opinion is the nicest town in the world, the ferryman plies his trade where the road crosses a wide river. Because he sees Culla Holme speaking to… read analysis of Ferryman

John

John is a man whom Culla Holme encounters on his journey when John catches Holme sleeping in John’s father’s abandoned cabin. He hauls Holme before the lawman and demands that he be charged with and… read analysis of John

Lawman

The lawman is the person to whom John takes Culla Holme with a charge of trespassing. The lawman metes out justice from his kitchen, offering Holme a chance to plead guilty or not guilty (while… read analysis of Lawman

Billy

Billy is the younger brother of Vernon and a hog drover whom Culla Holme encounters on the road. After the hogs panic and stampede, carrying Vernon over a cliff to his death, Billy insists… read analysis of Billy

Parson

The parson is a priest who comes upon Culla Holme, Billy, and the rest of the hog drovers in the aftermath of the stampede that costs Vernon his life. The parson repeatedly tells… read analysis of Parson

Blind Man

Culla Holme encounters the blind man on the road, and the man is notably the only person whom Holme seems to have encountered more than once. Although Holme doesn’t recognize the blind man, the… read analysis of Blind Man

Minor Characters

Harmon

Harmon is the only member of the trio of terrorizing strangers who has a name, which he received from the bearded man. When the trio finally waylays Culla Holme, he teases and questions Holme alongside the bearded man, and it’s he who takes the squire’s boots from Holme’s feet.

Child

The child is the son of Rinthy and Culla Holme. Abandoned by his father out of shame over his incestuous origins, the child is rescued by the tinker and grows into toddlerhood before he is murdered—in front of Holme—by the bearded man, the nameless man, and Harmon.

Beehiver

The beehiver is a man whom Culla Holme encounters on the road. He walks with Holme as far as the town where the cemetery has been vandalized, sharing some homemade alcohol on their way. When Holme pauses in the town to look for work, the beehiver continues on.

Foreman

The foreman is the presumably White overseer minding the crew of Black laborers who work in Clark’s turpentine camp. He doesn’t have a job to offer Culla Holme but suggests that he speak to Clark personally in town.

Teamster

The teamster is a person working on fixing a wagon when Culla Holme enters the town where Clark lives. The teamster tells Holme where he might find Clark, but he also expresses curiosity and humane concern about Holme’s wellbeing given Holme’s exhausted, starving, and bedraggled state.

Lawyer

The lawyer is a man whom Rinthy Holme encounters on her journey. He is kind to her and gives her a place to wait in his office for the doctor.

Rider

The rider is a person on horseback who is in the midst of some sort of long-running feud with the ferryman. He complains to Culla Holme about the ferryman while Holme waits for the ferry to appear.

Man

The man is a farmer with whom Rinthy Holme lives for an unspecified period. He is a haunted, sorrowful person who wishes that Rinthy would interact and talk with him, something she is unable or unwilling to do.

Vernon

Vernon is the older brother of Billy and a hog drover whom Culla Holme encounters on the road. When something panics the hogs and they start to stampede, Vernon is caught in the herd and swept over a cliff to his death.

Outer Dark Characters