Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Character Analysis

Rick Deckard

The protagonist of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Rick Deckard is an experienced police officer and bounty hunter, who, during the course of the novel, is sent to hunt down and kill (“retire”)… read analysis of Rick Deckard

John Isidore

John Isidore is a slow-thinking young man whose genes have been damaged by radiation, described both as a “special” man and as a “chickenhead.” He lives in an abandoned apartment building in San Francisco. John… read analysis of John Isidore

Al Jarry / Wilbur Mercer

Wilbur Mercer is a media personality and religious leader who commands millions of followers around the world. His religion, Mercerism, is based around the idea that empathy is mankind’s quintessential quality. For this reason, his… read analysis of Al Jarry / Wilbur Mercer

Rachael Rosen

An android who struggles with problems of empathy, reality, and humanity throughout the novel. Rachael Rosen is introduced to us as the niece of Eldon Rosen, a powerful executive in the Rosen organization. After… read analysis of Rachael Rosen

Phil Resch

A police officer at the police station where Garland and Officer Crams work, Phil Resch is one of the most confusing characters in the novel—it’s impossible to be sure whether he’s an android or a… read analysis of Phil Resch

Iran Deckard

Iran is Rick Deckard’s melancholy, taciturn wife. She spends all of her time in their house, and seems to be interested in few things other than buying expensive animals and watching television. In a… read analysis of Iran Deckard

Miss Luba Luft

A female android and talented opera singer living in San Francisco, Luba Luft has no idea that she’s an android—as far as she knows, she’s a human being who’s lived in San Francisco her whole… read analysis of Miss Luba Luft

Eldon Rosen

A powerful executive at the Rosen organization, a large business that manufactures androids. Eldon Rosen only appears in one scene of the novel, but his presence casts a shadow over the entire book. Rosen seems… read analysis of Eldon Rosen

Roy Baty

An android, and the leader of a group of androids that escapes from Mars in order to come to San Francisco. Roy Baty is a frightening, intimidating figure, who clearly feels no guilt about murdering… read analysis of Roy Baty

Minor Characters

Buster Friendly

A loud, comic TV personality who’s famous throughout Earth. Friendly is a somewhat sinister figure—he appears to compete with other famous people, such as Wilbur Mercer, for prestige. Toward the end of the novel, it’s Friendly who “outs” Mercer as a fraud, jeopardizing Mercerism around the world.

Bill Barbour

Rick Deckard’s neighbor and friendly rival, who owns more animals and seems to be richer than Rick.

Harry Bryant

Rick Deckard’s immediate superior at the police station. Bryant has little respect for Rick at the start of the novel, but grows to respect him more as Rick retires android after android.

Dave Holden

Rick Deckard’s coworker at the police station—another bounty hunter tasked with retiring androids. After Polokov puts Dave in the hospital, Rick takes over Dave’s case.

Pris Stratton

A young female android who hides out with John Isidore, but doesn’t have any love or respect for him. Pris is frequently cruel and unkind to others, despite the chastisement of Irmgard Baty and Roy Baty.

Mrs. Pilsen

A customer of the fake animal company for which John Isidore works.

Polokov / Sandor Kadalyi

The first android that Rick Deckard retires (notably, in self-defense). Polokov is responsible for sending Dave Holden to the hospital, and he attempts to do the same to Rick Deckard, pretending to be a Soviet police officer named Sandor Kadalyi.

Officer Crams

Seemingly an android, Officer Crams works for a police station in San Francisco that’s run almost entirely by incognito androids. He arrests Rick Deckard for murdering Polokov.

Garland

An android who poses as a police officer at the police station where Phil Resch and Officer Crams work. Garland is a cold, unfeeling android—exactly the kind of android Rick Decker has been preparing himself to kill. Garland is “retired” by Resch.

Irmgard Baty

The wife of Roy Baty—an android.

Gitchel

An android who escapes from Mars alongside Roy Baty.

Anders

An android who escapes from Mars alongside Roy Baty.

Hannibal Sloat

John Isidore’s boss, an unkind, callous man.

Ann Martsen

Rick Deckard’s secretary at the police station.