Remembering Babylon Character Analysis

Gemmy Fairley

Gemmy is the central protagonist of the story. Although Gemmy is white and spends his first twelve years in England with his abusive father figure Willett, he lives with Aboriginal Australians for 16 years… read analysis of Gemmy Fairley

Lachlan Beattie

Lachlan is Ellen McIvor’s nephew, but he lives with the McIvor family as one of their children. After emigrating from Scotland to Australia when he is nine years old, Lachlan is among the first people… read analysis of Lachlan Beattie

Janet McIvor

Janet is the oldest of the McIvor children and Lachlan’s cousin. Janet is present with Lachlan and Meg when they first meet Gemmy. As a girl, Janet feels oppressed by her gender for… read analysis of Janet McIvor

Jock McIvor

Jock is Ellen’s husband, the patriarchal head of the McIvor family, and he becomes Gemmy’s protector after he comes to live with them. Like the other men of the settlement, Jock is preoccupied… read analysis of Jock McIvor

Ellen McIvor

Ellen is Jock’s wife and the matriarch of the McIvor family. Although Ellen, as a woman, is societally disempowered, she represents one of the strongest characters in the story. After emigrating to Australia from… read analysis of Ellen McIvor

Mr. Frazer

Mr. Frazer is the settlement’s minister, though in the story he operates primarily in his role as a botanist. When Gemmy first arrives, Mr. Frazer interviews him as well as he can, producing the seven… read analysis of Mr. Frazer

Mrs. Hutchence

Mrs. Hutchence is an older woman who lives with Leona in an actual house—the only one for many miles—near the settlement. Mrs. Hutchence is something of an enigma; the settlers know very little of either… read analysis of Mrs. Hutchence

Leona Gonzalez

Leona is a young woman who lives with Mrs. Hutchence, and though they are not biologically related, Leona calls Mrs. Hutchence “Ma.” Leona is elegant and refined and draws the affections of both Hec… read analysis of Leona Gonzalez

George Abbot

George Abbot is the settlement’s schoolmaster. Although he is only 19 year old at the start of the story, George intentionally gives an impression of being considerably older through his stern, humorless demeanor. Although George… read analysis of George Abbot

Hector (Hec) Gosper

Hector is a young man in the settlement who is several years younger than George Abbot but older than Lachlan. Hec has a harelip, and the defect makes him self-conscious and particularly sensitive to… read analysis of Hector (Hec) Gosper

Barney Mason

Barney Mason is the McIvors’ closest neighbor and Jock’s closest friend amongst the settlers. Barney is a worrier by nature and constantly frets about Gemmy and the Aboriginal Australians trespassing on his land, demonstrating… read analysis of Barney Mason

Ned Corcoran

Ned Corcoran is one of the McIvors’ neighbors. Ned Corcoran’s character is not developed much in the story and it does not reveal anything about his background, but he represents the worst impulses of the… read analysis of Ned Corcoran

Jim Sweetman

Jim Sweetman is one of the McIvors’ neighbors and Jock’s friend. As a contrast to Ned Corcoran, Jim Sweetman is also sparsely developed as a character, serving primarily to represent the best elements… read analysis of Jim Sweetman

Andy McKillop

Andy is Barney’s hired hand. Barney and the other settlers do not trust Andy because he is a drunk and a troublemaker, but after Andy spies Gemmy speaking to two Aboriginal men, he hopes… read analysis of Andy McKillop

Sir George

Sir George is the Governor of Queensland whom Mr. Frazer briefly meets when he tries to find government support for his proposal. Sir George, however, is utterly useless. Demonstrating what Lachlan perhaps could have become… read analysis of Sir George

Mr. Herbert

Mr. Herbert is the Premiere, an associate of Sir George’s whom Mr. Frazer has dinner with. Mr. Frazer hopes to find support for his plan, in part because Mr. Herbert seems to be better… read analysis of Mr. Herbert

Willet

Willet is a drunken rat-catcher who keeps Gemmy as a servant and kind of surrogate son for several years in England when Gemmy is just a child. Willet is horrible and abusive, but since he… read analysis of Willet

Minor Characters

Meg McIvor

Meg is the youngest child of the McIvor family. Although she is often mentioned as being present with other characters and takes a liking to Leona, she is rarely depicted speaking or acting and plays little role within the narrative, partly due to her young age.