The Walker
The Walker (Philippe Petit) is one of the central characters of the novel. He is famous high-wire artist, who manages to walk between the two towers of the World Trade Center. He is a passionate artist, for this man is ready to spend all his money on a new wire.
John A. Corrigan
Corrigan or John A. Corrigan is one of the protagonists of the story. He is an Irishman but leaves his Motherland in order to go to New York. Being a member of the Order of Francis of Assisi, he believes that his main goal is to help those, who need his help. Corrigan does a lot, but doesn’t think that it is enough. Due to the fact that he falls in love with a woman and breaks his vow of celibacy, he suffers from a personal crisis. However, his death decides everything for him.
Ciaran Corrigan
Ciaran Corrigan is John’s elder brother. Unlike Corrigan, he is not interested in religion. He is more down-to-earth guy. In spite of the fact that they are so different, Ciaran loves his brother and wants to see him happy. After Corrigan’s death, Ciaran manages to achieve success and find a love of his life.
Tillie Henderson
Tillie Henderson is a professional hooker. She has been working as a prostitute all her life. Her biggest disappointment is that her daughter, Jazz, is a prostitute too. She has never wanted her girl to end up on the street.
Jazz
Jazz is Tillie’s daughter. She is extremely beautiful and young. Just like her mother, she gives birth to her baby girls at very young age. She dies with Corrigan in a car accident.
Adelita
Adelita is a nurse from Guatemala. She becomes the first woman Corrigan falls in love with.
Claire Soderberg
Claire Soderberg is a wealthy woman from the Upper East Side, who seems to have everything to be happy, but it is not so. Her Joshua, her son, was killed in Vietnam and that tragedy makes her look for compassion in the support group for mothers like her.
Solomon Soderberg
Solomon Soderberg is Claire’s husband and Joshua’s father. He is a judge, strict and hard-working. Joshua’s death affected him as much as Claire.
Blaine
Blaine is an artist, who becomes famous for filming short anti-war movies and his paintings. He is responsible for Corrigan’s and Jazz’s death, for he drove that car which hit Corrigan’s. Blaine is an experienced drug user.
Lara Liveman
Lara Liveman is an artist and a wife of Blaine. The car accident affects her greatly. She comes to Jazz’s funerals and even visits Corrigan’s flat. She and Ciaran fall in love.
Sam Peters
Sam Peters or the Kid is a programmer from California.
Gloria
Gloria is a woman from the support group Claire joins. Gloria lost three boys, is twice divorced and lives in the ugliest and the most dangerous neighborhood. Claire and Gloria become good friends. They grow even closer when Gloria adopts Jazz’s girls.
Janice and Jazzlyn
Janice and Jazzlyn are Jazz’s daughters.
Fernando Yunque Marcano
A "tag" enthusiast who photographs tags on underground subway walls. He admires the techniques, colors, depth, and details of those tags. Fernando photograph of the walker could be seen on page 237.
