Study Guide

The Ocean at the End of the Lane Characters

By Neil Gaiman

Isn't it strange that the character we are supposed to identify most with in this novel doesn't...

Lettie is the very definition of enigmatic. On the surface she's just an eleven-year-old girl...

Neil Gaiman describes the flea's original form as something like a decaying circus tent: I...

Gran Hempstock is, how should we put this gently, umm… awesome. She's older than the moon,...

Ginnie Hempstock is not exactly your typical mom—she's got powers and knowledge that would...

The boy's father is like a scarier version of Mr. Banks from Mary Poppins. He's stern,...

We kind of want to hate this guy right from the very beginning. When he shows up at the boy's...

The boy's sister is one of those stereotypical goody two shoes. She's always telling on him to...

The mom is barely around during these trying times for the boy. Ursula is taken on as a...

Gertruda is mentioned briefly as their previous boarder that the boy and his sister protested...

Mr. Wollery provides landscaping services and Mrs. Wollery does a bit of housekeeping for the...

He alludes to this girl several times in that vague way: I remembered being just-sixteen, and...

He's the only sleep-over the boy has been invited to, and he asks to come home early because...

The hunger birds, or what Gran refers to as "varmints," are kind of like supernatural...