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Simon
Mature man in a relationship with Eleanor, who is presumably his wife. The couple has two children, and as they meander down the garden path, he reminisces about Lily, a woman who once rejected his proposal of marriage. Rather than conclude that the rejection destroyed his life, he determines that all is for the best because he now has Eleanor and the children. He is thoughtful and imaginative, recalling details of the silver buckle on Lily’s shoe, the dragonfly, and his own thoughts on the day of his rejection so long ago.
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Eleanor
Middle-aged woman in a relationship with Simon, who is presumably her husband. As the couple moves down the garden path, she is preoccupied, occasionally glancing back to check on their children, Hubert and Caroline. After listening to her husband reminisce about a previous visit to the garden, she recounts a childhood memory of being kissed by an old woman with a wart while Eleanor was painting. Thoughtful and sincere, she vividly recounts how the kiss felt that day.
The Old, Eccentric Man
Eccentric, perhaps mad, elderly gentleman obsessed with communicating with the spirits of the dead. The old man talks almost incessantly, is very animated, and makes odd movements as he speaks. He suggests that spirits have given him unusual knowledge of heaven, and he claims to understand how to build and use a device with which to help widows communicate with the dead. He is easily distracted and, as he talks to a flower, suggests that he has lost a love and may believe that he has lived former, mysterious lives.
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William
Accompanies the old, eccentric man. William, who is described as “stoical,” attempts to speak, but says nothing; it is with a sense of effort and patience that he guides the old man through the garden, and, on at least one occasion, he distracts the man from running off to bother other visitors.
Trissie
Young woman paired with an unnamed young man, willing to assert herself and communicate her desires only to a small degree. Trissie is introduced mid-conversation, responding to her partner with a sequence of questions meant both to prompt him to respond and to suggest disagreement with his concerns about expense. Her partner presses her hand firmly enough to drive “her parasol deep” into the earth, and he leads her away, although her movements express an interest in visiting other sections of the garden.
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Unnamed Young Man
Presumably the suitor of Trissie. The young man is nervous and uncertain in her presence. He appears awkward and eagerly anticipates sitting down for tea.
Snail
Small creature that is isolated in the garden and may be said to offer the narrative’s point of view. The snail is preoccupied with its struggle to journey across the dirt and flower bed. The snail methodically considers how to maneuver around a leaf, ultimately deciding to go under it.
The Stout and Ponderous Woman
Paired with another woman, an elderly lower-middle-class woman, perhaps representing the average person in the park. She watches others as much as she enjoys the scenery. Although details of her gossipy conversation are sparse, reported only in fragments, her concerns seem to be with family, people the two know, and everyday life. She exhibits a strong sense of curiosity about the old, eccentric man, associating his eccentricity with his class.
The Rosy Cheeked and Nimble Woman
A older woman paired with the Stout and Ponderous Woman. She is working class and appears fascinated by eccentricity in the well-to-do. As they walk, she rambles on to her companion about family, mutual acquaintances, and everyday life.
