The Running Dream Characters

When The Running Dream begins, Jessica Carlisle is a high-school junior and track star who has just suffered a below-the-knee amputation after a school-bus accident. Initially, Jessica’s accident drives her to despair; she believes she… read analysis of Jessica Carlisle

Rosa is a freshman in Jessica’s math class who was born with cerebral palsy and has always had to use a wheelchair. Prior to Jessica’s accident, Jessica largely ignored Rosa like their other classmates… read analysis of Rosa

Fiona, Jessica’s best friend, is a leggy blond sprinter and high-jumper on Jessica’s high-school track team. Fiona is consistently generous with and supportive of Jessica. While Jessica is in the hospital, Fiona visits repeatedly… read analysis of Fiona

Gavin Vance, Jessica’s longtime crush, is the mayor’s son, and a regular contributor to the school newspaper. When he calls Jessica in the hospital after her accident, Jessica sourly reflects that it took an… read analysis of Gavin Vance

Jessica’s mother, who manages the paperwork for Jessica’s father’s handyman business, puts on a brave and encouraging face for Jessica after Jessica’s amputation despite her own emotional devastation. When Jessica becomes dependent on narcotic… read analysis of Jessica’s Mother

Kyro, a dark-skinned and light-eyed man of Polish and Ethiopian descent, coaches the Liberty High track team for which Jessica, Fiona, Merryl, Shandall, and Mario all compete. When Jessica returns to… read analysis of Kyro

Hank is the prosthetist who oversees Jessica’s fitting and measurements for her walking and running prostheses. Though Jessica initially resents Hank because she resents her entire situation—calling him “Hankenstein” due to his enthusiasm for mechanical-looking… read analysis of Hank

Vanessa Steele is Jessica’s rival in track. She attends Langston High, the rival high school to Jessica’s, which is richer but has less team spirit. Immediately prior to her accident, Jessica beat Vanessa in… read analysis of Vanessa Steele

Claudia Steele is the mother of Vanessa Steele, Jessica’s track rival from rich neighboring high school Langston. A wealthy-looking, put-together woman, Claudia seeks out Jessica at a track meet after the accident, offers… read analysis of Claudia Steele

Merryl is a high-jumper on the Liberty High track team, to which Jessica, Fiona, Shandall, and Mario also belong. Unlike the other track-team members, Merryl only competes to pad her college applications… read analysis of Merryl

Mrs. Rucker, a strict woman with a “severe” dark bob haircut, is Jessica and Rosa’s math teacher in Algebra 2/Trigonometry and a serious recreational runner outside of work. Despite her strictness, threatening to separate… read analysis of Mrs. Rucker

Chloe, a woman in her early 20s who works for Jessica’s prosthetist Hank, lost one of her legs to a childhood cancer and walks on a prosthesis. Jessica doesn’t initially notice Chloe’s prosthesis… read analysis of Chloe

Lucy, a teammate of Jessica’s on the track team, died in the school-bus accident that crushed Jessica’s leg and precipitated her below-the-knee amputation. Immediately after the amputation, Jessica secretly thinks that Lucy is the luckier… read analysis of Lucy

Shandall Norwood is a sophomore on Jessica’s high-school track team who sprints the 100-meter and also competes in the discus throw. Though many of Jessica’s classmates awkwardly ignore her when she first returns to… read analysis of Shandall Norwood