The Narrator(s)
The main character of the story is unnamed. Although he tells his story as a first-person narrative account, it is not entirely accurate to describe him as the narrator of the story. The opening line suggests that the true narrator of the story is a female medium capable of communicating with the dead who is actually relating the events. Nothing else is known of the medium.
The narrator of the actual events who somehow is capable of communicating from the afterlife is the owner of a new car. He does not yet have sufficient experience with the gears of this vehicle. Despite having a more experienced chauffeur who warns him against driving until he has become better acquainted with those differences, he proceeds to ignore the advice.
Ignoring the advice of a servant from a lower class proves tragic. The story illuminates the central flaw of class division. Privilege is granted that is not based on merit or intellectual capacity. Because he is the owner of the car, he feels he is automatically entitled to drive it—thereby putting the life of his chauffeur in jeopardy—despite not knowing how to manage the vehicle.
Perkins
Perkins is the chauffeur. His status is implied. For one thing, he refers to his employer as ”the master." Secondly, the car owner refers to him by his last name despite likely interacting with him on a daily basis. On the other hand, a class peer whom his employer hasn't seen in years is addressed by first name.
Notably, Perkins does not put up much of a fight against the owner's decision to drive. He does, however, give him advice during the drive in an attempt to impose some sort of control over his own safety.
Ultimately, Perkins will try to act in time to keep the tragic accident from occurring. He will fail in the attempt, however. While his master's exercise of privilege over common-sense costs him his life, Perkins manages to come through with only minor injuries.
Stanley
Stanley is described by the car owner as a man with whom felt a kinship. This affiliation further cements the element of class distinction. The car owner and Stanley went to college together. More importantly, however, is that both died young.
Stanley does not appear until after the accident. Then he just suddenly shows up with no context. He is described as being similar to the car owner with one significant exception. Stanley died several years earlier fighting in the Boer War. The car owner already knows this fact yet does not seem to register it as particularly unusual that his old, dead friend just happens to show up at the accident scene.
Stanley is the person who informs the car owner that he did not survive the crash. It is only after he finally remembers that Stanley is long dead that the car owner finally realizes privilege and class distinction does not extend to mortality.
