The Sound of Things Falling Character Analysis

Antonio

Antonio is the protagonist of the novel. He is Aura’s partner, Leticia’s father, and friends with Ricardo. After Ricardo is killed, Antonio meets Ricardo’s daughter, Maya. Antonio is traumatized by the… read analysis of Antonio

Ricardo

Ricardo is Elena’s husband and Maya’s father. Antonio meets Ricardo at a billiards club when Ricardo is released from prison after serving a 20-year sentence, and the two become friends. The novel argues… read analysis of Ricardo

Maya

Maya is Elena and Ricardo’s daughter. Antonio is traumatized by the persistent violence of Bogotá, and that trauma is compounded when he is shot; Maya has a similar story. She is traumatized by the… read analysis of Maya

Elena

Elena is Maya’s mother and Ricardo’s wife. An American, she becomes a Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia in the late 1960s. She’s driven by a desire to make her mark on the world… read analysis of Elena

Mike

Mike is a Peace Corps volunteer in Caparrapí, a municipality in the Magdalena Valley near La Dorada, where Elena and Ricardo live. The novel portrays Mike as effortlessly charismatic, but he becomes more sinister after… read analysis of Mike

Aura

Aura is Antonio’s partner and Leticia’s mother. She is also Antonio’s former student. She had a difficult relationship with her parents while growing up, and, as a result, is reluctant to become a… read analysis of Aura

Leticia

Leticia is Antonio and Aura’s daughter. Antonio cares about her immensely but also seems to neglect her. Aura worries that Antonio is passing his fears on to Leticia as well. Notably, Leticia is roughly… read analysis of Leticia

Pablo Escobar

Pablo Escobar was a Colombian drug trafficker and narcoterrorist who was the leader of the Medellín Cartel. Escobar was responsible for several acts of public violence in Colombia, including the bombing of Avianca Flight 203… read analysis of Pablo Escobar

Consu

Consu is Ricardo’s landlady in Bogotá after Ricardo is released from prison. She has the black box recording from the American Airlines flight on which Elena died, and she lets Antonio listen to it… read analysis of Consu

Captain Laverde

Captain Laverde is Ricardo’s grandfather. He served as a military pilot during the Colombian-Peru war. With his son Julio (Ricardo’s father), Captain Laverde was present at the 1938 plane crash that left Julio with… read analysis of Captain Laverde

Minor Characters

Carlos

Carlos is a representative from the community development organization Acción Comunal in Caparrapí. Mike works closely with Carlos, and Carlos is part of the drug trafficking schemes that ultimately result in Ricardo’s arrest and 20-year prison sentence.

Julio

Julio is Ricardo’s father. He was injured during a 1938 plane crash and has a scar across his face as a result. Because of that crash, Julio is wary of airplanes and flight, and he doesn’t support Ricardo’s dream of becoming a pilot.

Gloria

Gloria is Ricardo’s mother. Elena lives in Gloria and Julio’s house when she is training for the Peace Corps in Bogotá. She meets Ricardo as a result, and Gloria then helps Elena plan her wedding.

The Sound of Things Falling Characters