Lizet (The narrator)
She is a researcher (a lab manager) born in Miami. She is immersed in a study concentrating on the diminishing coral reefs.
Ricky (Lizet’s dad)
He owns a canal and narrates Lizet stories encompassing canals. Lizet recounts how her father insensitively polluted the canals during her childhood.
Lourdes (Lizet’s Mother)
She does not endorse Lizet’s career which entails researching canals. She labels Lizet’s profession nasty.
Ariel Hernandez
He is “a five-year-old Cuban boy rescued from a broken raft by fishermen earlier that day after watching everyone else on the raft, including his mother die.”
Zoila
She is Lourdes’ cousin with whom she has a sisterly connection.
Tony
He is Zoila’s second spouse who routinely articulates vulgarities often like Zoila.
Professor Kaufmann
A professor who offers Lizet an internship. Lizet declares that she is “Professor Kaufmann’s pity case.”
