Breakfast at Tiffany’s Character Analysis

The Narrator

The unnamed narrator is a passive, reserved man who lives in New York City. He develops a close relationship with his neighbor, Holly Golightly, a woman he takes an interest in because she leads… read analysis of The Narrator

Holly Golightly (Lulamae)

Holly Golightly is a beautiful 19-year-old who lives in the same building as the narrator. A striking and self-sufficient young woman, Holly sustains herself by dating rich men, though the particulars of this arrangement… read analysis of Holly Golightly (Lulamae)

Joe Bell

Joe Bell is a bartender who falls in love with Holly Golightly. An irritable man with a sour stomach, he serves the narrator and Holly whenever they come into his bar. Years after Holly… read analysis of Joe Bell

Mag Wildwood

Mag Wildwood is a tall, striking woman who works as a model. After attending one of Holly’s parties (at which Holly tells all the men that Mag has a venereal disease, so they stop… read analysis of Mag Wildwood

Rusty Trawler

Rusty Trawler is an outgoing man whose flushed demeanor makes him seem like a child with a grown man’s body. Rusty’s wealthy parents died when he was very young, making news because his father was… read analysis of Rusty Trawler

José Ybarra-Jaegar

José is a Brazilian politician who originally shows up at Holly’s apartment because he’s dating Mag Wildwood. A man dedicated to his profession, José frequently travels in and out of New York City… read analysis of José Ybarra-Jaegar

Doc Golightly

Doc Golightly is a veterinarian from Texas. He is also Holly’s husband, though nobody knows about this except for the narrator, since Doc Golightly tells him what happened when he comes to New… read analysis of Doc Golightly

O.J. Berman

O.J. Berman is a talent agent who meets Holly when she’s living in Los Angeles. Right away, he tries to help her become a movie star, teaching her how to drop her accent, though he… read analysis of O.J. Berman

I. Y. Yunioshi

I. Y. Yunioshi is a photographer who lives in the narrator and Holly’s building. Mr. Yunioshi gets quite upset when Holly (who lost her key) buzzes his apartment late at night and asks to… read analysis of I. Y. Yunioshi

Fred

Fred, who never actually appears in the novel, is Holly Golightly’s brother. By leaving Doc Golightly’s house to live her own life, Holly was forced to leave Fred behind—something that caused her great… read analysis of Fred

Sally Tomato

Sally Tomato is a mob boss serving time in Sing Sing prison. When the narrator first meets Holly, she tells him that she visits Sally every Thursday. When the narrator asks why, Holly explains… read analysis of Sally Tomato

Oliver O’Shaughnessy

Mr. O’Shaughnessy is a defrocked priest who has a long criminal history and who helps the mobster Sally Tomato run a drug ring from prison. He does this by posing as Sally’s lawyer and convincing… read analysis of Oliver O’Shaughnessy

Minor Characters

Madame Sapphia Spanella

Madame Sapphia Spanella is an old woman who lives in the narrator and Holly’s building. Incensed that Holly comes and goes at all hours of the night and entertains so many men, Madame Spanella frequently threatens to call the police and often accuses Holly of being a “whore.”