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Anders
A middle-aged literary critic and the protagonist of the story. Anders used to be a creative intellectual with genuine interests, but his constant cynicism has hardened him. Anders’s disillusionment with humanity is so extreme that he cannot stop himself from talking back to a bank robber, which ultimately costs him his life.
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The Robbers
Two men who rob the bank that Anders is in. One of the men becomes so irritated by Anders’s sarcastic commentary that he finally shoots Anders in the head.
Read an in-depth analysis of the robbers.
Coyle’s Cousin
An unnamed boy that Anders once met during a childhood game of baseball. Anders recalls being struck by Coyle’s cousin’s confident disregard for the conventions of grammar, a moment of unexpected delight he remembers years later.
The Women at the Bank
Two women who are waiting in line in front of Anders at the bank before the robbers arrive. Anders is irritated by these women and their “loud, stupid conversation.”
The Bank Teller
One of the tellers at the bank. At the start of the text, Anders is irritated that the teller closed her window, forcing the line to move even slower. She is then threatened by the robbers.
