The Leavers Character Analysis

Deming Guo / Daniel Wilkinson

One of two protagonists in The Leavers. Deming is born in New York City to Polly Guo, a Chinese immigrant. He spends his first years in the city, but Polly soon sends him… read analysis of Deming Guo / Daniel Wilkinson

Peilan Guo / Polly Guo

Deming’s mother, and the second protagonist in The Leavers. From a village outside Fuzhou, China, Polly is an independent young woman who covets freedom, yearning to leave her village. When she discovers that… read analysis of Peilan Guo / Polly Guo

Michael

Deming’s close childhood friend. When Deming is six, he and Polly move in with Michael, his mother Vivian, and his uncle Leon. Michael is a studious boy who looks up to Deming… read analysis of Michael

Vivian

Michael’s mother, and the person who—along with her brother, Leon—cares for Deming when Polly disappears. Vivian is a devoted parent who spends the majority of her free time cooking meals and providing for… read analysis of Vivian

Leon

Polly’s boyfriend, and Vivian’s brother. Leon is a good-natured man who works in a slaughterhouse and enjoys playing cards. He and Polly fall in love shortly before Deming returns as a six-year-old to… read analysis of Leon

Roland Fuentes

Daniel’s best friend from Ridgeborough. Roland is Mexican-American, and like Daniel, is missing a parent, since his father died when he was young. As one of the only other people of color in Ridgeborough… read analysis of Roland Fuentes

Angel Hennings

A Chinese-American girl whose adoptive parents are Elaine and Jim Hennings, Peter and Kay’s best friends. Angel grows up in New York City, and though her parents make an effort to help her… read analysis of Angel Hennings

Elaine Hennings

Angel’s adoptive mother, and Jim Hennings’s wife. Elaine is one of Peter and Kay Wilkinson’s best friends. She lives in New York City and is adamant about helping Angel connect to Chinese… read analysis of Elaine Hennings

Jim Hennings

Angel’s adoptive father, and Elaine Hennings’s husband. Jim is one of Peter and Kay Wilkinson’s best friends. Along with Elaine and Angel, he lives in New York City, and—much like Peter—is often… read analysis of Jim Hennings

Hutch

A promoter and booker for a popular music club called Jupiter. Roland wants to impress Hutch, so he often invites him to shows, putting pressure on Daniel to give a good performance so that Psychic… read analysis of Hutch

Didi

A Chinese immigrant with whom Polly lives when she first moves to the United States. Like some of Polly’s other roommates, Didi is enamored of Deming when he’s a baby, making so much time for… read analysis of Didi

Kyle

A student at SUNY Potsdam who—like Daniel—plays online poker. When Daniel learns how much money Kyle plays with, he starts gambling larger amounts, eventually plunging himself into debt. When this happens, he asks Kyle… read analysis of Kyle

Polly’s Father

Deming’s grandfather, who lives in the Chinese village in which Polly grew up. When Deming is still quite young, Polly sends him to live with her father because she can’t afford to pay a… read analysis of Polly’s Father

Haifeng

Polly’s neighbor in the Chinese village in which she grows up. Shortly after she leaves school for good in the eighth grade, Polly starts meeting Haifeng on a daily basis. In a secluded area… read analysis of Haifeng

Qing

One of Polly’s friends in the factories of Fuzhou. Along with Xuan, Qing talks extensively about sex with Polly, ultimately encouraging her to meet Haifeng at a motel, where they make love for… read analysis of Qing

Charles

Angel’s boyfriend, whom Daniel meets at Jim Hennings’s birthday party. A confident young man studying to be a lawyer, Charles threatens Daniel outside the party, telling him that he doesn’t approve of Angel’s… read analysis of Charles

Haifeng’s Mother

Haifeng’s mother, who is the one to inform Polly that her father has died. When Polly returns to China after being deported from the United States, she discovers that Haifeng’s mother has moved into… read analysis of Haifeng’s Mother

Peter Wilkinson

Daniel’s adoptive father. A professor of Economics at Carlough College in Ridgeborough, New York, Peter is a serious man with high expectations. When he and his wife Kay first adopt eleven-year-old Daniel, Peter is… read analysis of Peter Wilkinson

Kay Wilkinson

Daniel’s adoptive mother. A professor of Political Science at Carlough College, Kay tries hard to give Daniel the support he needs. Like her husband Peter, though, she has high expectations for him, wanting… read analysis of Kay Wilkinson

Cody

A bully at Daniel’s school in Ridgeborough, New York. On one of Daniel’s first days of school, Cody pushes over a small boy and calls him a “fag” before turning to Daniel and calling… read analysis of Cody

Minor Characters

Timothy

Vivian’s husband, whom she meets after sending Deming into the foster care system.

Xuan

One of Polly’s friends in the factories of Fuzhou. Xuan has two boyfriends and frequently talks about her sex life with Polly and her other friend, Qing. These conversations inspire Polly to meet Haifeng at a motel and have sex for the first time, which results in her pregnancy.

Rocky

The manager of Hello Gorgeous, the nail salon where Polly works. Rocky likes Polly and acts like she’s going to promote her, but this never comes to fruition.

Travis Bhopa

A bully in Deming and Michael’s school. Because Travis makes fun of them, Deming trips him, though he later feels bad about this when he learns that Travis has family problems of his own.

Yong

Polly’s new husband, who is a successful businessman. Although the pair lead a comfortable, wealthy life, Polly eventually leaves Yong so that she can continue to experience the thrill and adventure of moving from place to place.

The Leavers

Lisa Ko

The Leavers Characters