Leda
Leda is the protagonist of this novel who undergoes significant personal growth and achieves self-awareness. Due to her past troubles, namely her divorce and the monotony of her life as an English teacher, she decides to travel to the south of Italy. This act demonstrates her unconventional and impulsive nature which acts as a precursor for further events namely her obsession with the Ferrante family. Moreover, her ability to leave behind her family and counter the prescence of those intruding upon her in Italy displays her extreme strength and resilience. Her capacity to heal from trauma relating to womanhood and motherhood is a further testament to her brave character. Throughout the narrative, she acts as the flawed anti-hero as she commits certain scrupulous acts such as stealing Elena's doll however ultimately rectifies her actions in the end.
Elena Ferrante
Elena is the 'lost daughter' of the novel and is part of the family from Naples which Leda is grossly fascinated with. Elena is an incredibly young girl and is often portrayed carrying a doll to highlight her innocence. She disappears for a small portion of the novel; however, she is found by Leda herself who also steals her doll.
Nina Ferrante
Nina is the older sister of Elena and is portrayed as having a very close relationship with her. Nina is always shown to be caring for Elena or playing with her at the beach and is known to be very protective of her. She is also shown to be very passionate as demonstrated, through her affair with Gino and doesn't always make the best decisions. Also, her predisposition towards experiencing extreme emotions is shown through her fit of anger upon finding out Leda has stolen Elena's doll.
Gino
Gino is a handsome young male who works on the beach setting up chairs and serving individuals food. He is known to be polite and flirtatious and ends up engaging in a relationship with Nina.
Gianni
Gianni is the ex-husband of Leda and is portrayed as the epitome of the every-day man. He works a 9-5 and cares for his daughters Bianca and Marta who are not properly described in the novel. Leda and Gianni have had conflict in the past; however, he is shown to be reasonable and agreeable willing to care for his daughters and permit Leda to holiday. His support for Leda's travels demonstrates that he is a caring man who wishes the best for her.
