We the Animals Characters

The unnamed narrator is a boy who lives with his older brothers, Manny and Joel, and his parents, Ma and Paps. The narrator has a close relationship with his brothers, especially since his… read analysis of The Narrator

Ma is the narrator’s mother, a loving woman who often finds herself incapable of giving her children the attention they need. This is largely due to her relationship with Paps, who is physically… read analysis of Ma

Paps is the narrator’s father, an abusive man who is—surprisingly enough—capable of showing love and affection. A dark-skinned Puerto Rican man, he sees the narrator, Manny, and Joel as “mutts” because they’re half-white… read analysis of Paps

Manny is the narrator’s oldest brother. Like Paps, Manny is wild and tough, though he also has a sensitive side, as evidenced by the close relationship he has with the narrator, to whom… read analysis of Manny

Lina is Ma’s coworker and boss at the local brewery, where Ma works nightshifts. When Paps leaves for a long period of time, Lina calls to find out why Ma isn’t coming to work… read analysis of Lina

Old Man is what the narrator and his brothers call one of their neighbors whose garden they raid when Paps is missing and Ma is in a depressive state and therefore unable to care for… read analysis of Old Man

The narrator and his brothers refer to their teenaged neighbor as “the headbanger.” He is what they think of as “white trash” and they therefore find him unrelatable, though he makes an effort to befriend… read analysis of The Headbanger

The bus driver is a grown man with whom the narrator has his first sexual experience. At first, the bus driver thinks the narrator is a passenger who wants to go to New York City… read analysis of The Bus Driver