Waterland -

A local boy killed early in the novel, whose death kicks off the "history" of the 1943 narrative.

The narrative culminates in 1943 when Dick, overwhelmed by the revelation of his parentage, commits suicide by drowning in the River Ouse. In the present, Mary is committed to an asylum, and Tom is left to contemplate the wreckage of his life. Waterland

A skeptical, 16-year-old student who challenges Tom on the relevance of studying history in an age threatened by nuclear annihilation. A local boy killed early in the novel,

Contrary to the idea of linear progress, Waterland suggests history moves in circles. Just as the fens are frequently flooded despite attempts to drain them, human life is constantly returning to its past mistakes. A skeptical, 16-year-old student who challenges Tom on

The narrator and protagonist. A history teacher who believes that to understand the present, one must look at the past, although his faith in history is shaken by personal tragedies.