The Shadow Lines Characters

The Narrator

The protagonist of the novel is its unnamed narrator. He is a young boy born and raised in Calcutta. He narrates the events of his early life, leaping back and forth in time. He adores his uncle, Tridib, and enjoys his stories about history and foreign places. His view of the world is significantly shaped by what Tridib shares with him. He is also in love with his cousin Ila and repeatedly feels hurt by her distant manner. Finally, he is unsettled by his grandmother's intense nationalism. In the first half of the book, he recounts his memories of Calcutta and London. In the second, he describes the events leading up to Tridib's death. His narration frequently features digressions about history and politics, as he ponders the way in which events reverberate across time and space. It is later revealed that he pursues a graduate degree in history.

Tridib

Tridib is the narrator's uncle. He is described as sensitive and worldly. The narrator treats him with a great deal of admiration and respect. At the same time, the narrator is occasionally puzzled by the mysteries of his past. He refuses to use his family's status to move ahead in his career. As a child, he lived in London with the Price family while he was receiving medical care. He develops romantic feelings for May Price as they engage in an exchange of letters. In the second half of the book, the narrator recounts his visit to Dhaka with their grandmother. He dies at the hands of a mob while trying to protect May.

Tha'mma

Th'amma is the narrator's grandmother. Originally born in Dhaka, she becomes the headmistress of an all-girls school in Calcutta and moves there earlier in her life. She is respected within the community and by the narrator's family and is portrayed as patient and strong-willed. At the same time, the narrator notes the unnerving quality of her nationalist fervor as well as her rampant classism. She dislikes both Ila and Tridib, the former for her abandonment of India and the latter for his refusal to use his family connections. Their relationship deteriorates significantly by the end of her life, culminating in her sending a letter to his university recommending that he be expelled. Her determination to bring her uncle home from Dhaka results in Tridib's death.

Ila

Ila is the narrator's cousin. The narrator is romantically interested in her from a young age and frequently feels hurt by her flippant treatment of him. When he inadvertently reveals his feelings, she expresses sympathy. She shows an inclination to be dishonest at times, fabricating stories that make her life seem more glamorous. She comes from a wealthier background than the narrator and, seemingly as a result, treats foreign places with casual boredom. Later in life, she shows a strong preference for Western culture, as she believes India is stifling her freedom. She marries Nick Price and stays with him even after he cheats on her with multiple women.

May Price

May is a family friend of Tridib and the narrator. She is a professional oboist with a British orchestra. She develops a close epistolary friendship with Tridib and eventually finds herself falling in love with him. The narrator visits her on a few occasions and discusses memories of Tridib. She eventually tells him that she blames herself for his death.

Nick

Nick is the younger brother of May and a close friend of Ila's. He is described as having long, blond hair. He frequently makes lofty comments about the future of business and industry, though it is revealed that he lost one of his jobs because he was accused of embezzlement. He marries Ila, who treats him with reverence throughout the book. The narrator expresses jealousy and frustration towards him. It is later revealed that he is engaging in multiple affairs, though the marriage still continues.

Shaheb

Shaheb is Tridib's father. He is characterized as being thoroughly Europeanized in a way that the narrator's grandmother finds distasteful. She repeatedly describes him as useless. His promotion to a post in Dhaka precipitates their trip there.

Mayadebi

Mayadebi is Tridib's mother and Th'amma's sister. She is described as decisive and strong.

Jethamoshai

Jethamoshai is Th'amma's uncle. She describes his efforts to care for her family in her youth. She travels to Dhaka in an effort to "rescue" him, only to cause his death at the hands of a violent mob.