The Graveyard Book Character Analysis

Nobody “Bod” Owens

Bod is the novel’s protagonist and the adoptive son of the ghosts Mr. Owens and Mrs. Owens. Bod is fearless and curious, qualities that save his life at the beginning of the novel when… read analysis of Nobody “Bod” Owens

Scarlett Amber Perkins

Scarlett is Bod’s only living friend throughout his childhood. Five-year-old Scarlett meets Bod when her parents take her to play in the graveyard, but her parents believe that Bod is just Scarlett’s imaginary friend… read analysis of Scarlett Amber Perkins

Liza Hempstock/The Witch

Bod’s friend Liza Hempstock is a witch who is rumored to be buried somewhere in the graveyard where the novel takes place. But since none of the ghosts are willing to talk about Liza, Bod… read analysis of Liza Hempstock/The Witch

Silas

Silas is Bod’s guardian. The novel heavily implies that he’s a vampire: he has no reflection in mirrors, he sleeps in a steamer trunk, and he assumes a batlike form when he’s not in… read analysis of Silas

Jack Frost

Often referred to as “the man Jack,” Jack is the novel’s antagonist and the murderer who killed Bod’s family and is intent on hunting down Bod. He’s a member of the mysterious organization the… read analysis of Jack Frost

Miss Lupescu

Miss Lupescu is a Hound of God—that is, a werewolf—who acts as Bod’s guardian whenever Silas is away. According to Miss Lupescu, Hounds of God don’t see their transformation to a wolf as a bad… read analysis of Miss Lupescu

The Sleer

The Sleer is a mysterious being that resides in the graveyard’s barrow grave. Bod only sees the Sleer once; it’s huge, with three heads featuring indigo designs and the body of a snake. It speaks… read analysis of The Sleer

Mrs. Owens

Mrs. Owens is a kindly ghost who appoints herself Bod’s adoptive mother when the ghost of Bod’s recently murdered biological mother begs the Owenses to protect the baby. Mrs. Owens is a stout woman… read analysis of Mrs. Owens

Mr. Owens

The ghost Mr. Owens assumes the role of Bod’s adoptive father when his wife, Mrs. Owens, insists it’s their duty to protect him. In his life (which ended several hundred years before the… read analysis of Mr. Owens

Nick

Nick and his best friend, Mo, are bullies at the school that Bod briefly attends. While Mo is the brains of their operation, Nick is the brawn. He’s a hefty blond kid and doesn’t… read analysis of Nick

Mo

Mo and her best friend, Nick, work together to bully younger students at the school that Bod briefly attends. Mo is the brains of their operation and directs Nick’s physical strength wherever she sees… read analysis of Mo

Nehemiah Trot

In the graveyard, Nehemiah Trot is known as the Poet. He was a writer and a poet in life and Bod often seeks him out for advice. Nehemiah speaks in flowery sentences and often repeats… read analysis of Nehemiah Trot

Scarlett’s Mother

When Scarlett is a teenager, she and her mother are constantly at odds. Some of this has to do with Scarlett’s own snotty attitude, but Scarlett’s mother also seems unreasonably strict at times. Also, Scarlett’s… read analysis of Scarlett’s Mother

The Ghouls

Bod meets a group of three ghouls when he falls asleep on their ghoul-gate. Ghouls look like shrunken, leathery people, but they bound and climb more like rats. All ghouls are named after famous historical… read analysis of The Ghouls

Abanazer Bolger

Abanazer is an antiques dealer that Bod meets in the Old Town shopping district, down the hill from the graveyard. He deals in all sorts of items, both legally and illegally. His normal facial expression—one… read analysis of Abanazer Bolger

Josiah Worthington

Josiah Worthington is a ghost in the graveyard who lived about 300 years ago. He was a brewer, a politician, and served as a baronet in the British army. Due to his wealth and respected… read analysis of Josiah Worthington

Thackeray Porringer

In life, Thackeray Porringer was a painter’s apprentice who didn’t take kindly to his boss’s hazing ritual—sending Thackeray to find striped paint to paint a barber’s pole. When Thackeray realized he’d been tricked, he essentially… read analysis of Thackeray Porringer

Caius Pompeius

Many in the graveyard believe that Caius Pompeius was the graveyard’s first resident, though he shares with Bod that a soul much older than him was there first. A Roman who wanted to be buried… read analysis of Caius Pompeius

The Ghost (Bod’s Biological Mother)

The ghost refers to the recently deceased ghost of Bod’s biological mother. Since she’s recently dead, she looks different from the other ghosts—she’s insubstantial and looks like television static. Upon her death, she does… read analysis of The Ghost (Bod’s Biological Mother)

Mother Slaughter

Mother Slaughter is a kindly, elderly ghost in the graveyard. She’s initially shocked when Mrs. Owens proposes giving Bod the Freedom of the Graveyard, but over the course of the debate she becomes one… read analysis of Mother Slaughter

The Lady on the Grey

The Lady on the Grey is a mythical woman on a big white horse. She comes for people when they die and takes them to their death on the back of her horse. All the… read analysis of The Lady on the Grey

The Indigo Man

When Scarlett and Bod enter the barrow grave for the first time, the Indigo Man appears to frighten them. Scarlett doesn’t have the Freedom of the Graveyard like Bod does, so the fact that even… read analysis of The Indigo Man

Paul Singh

Paul is a younger boy at Bod’s school and one of Nick and Mo’s bullying targets. Nick and Mo blackmailed Paul into handing over his weekly allowance by forcing him to steal a… read analysis of Paul Singh

Alonso Jones

In life, Alonso Jones was a 19th-century explorer. He’s buried in Bod’s graveyard, and as Bod enters his teen years, Alonso often tells Bod exciting stories of his travels. But Alonso never appears in… read analysis of Alonso Jones

Minor Characters

Mr. Dandy

Mr. Dandy is a member of the lethal Jacks of All Trades group. Like the others in the group, Mr. Dandy’s first name is Jack. He’s rotund and has silver hair. Though he never shares his position, he seems higher up in the organization than Jack Frost.

Tom Hustings

Tom is one of Abanazer Bolger’s partners, especially when it comes to dealing with the illegal goods that pass through Abanazer’s shop. A hulking, red-haired man, Tom attempts to intimidate Bod (but can’t, as Bod disappears with Liza’s help).

Kandar

Kandar is an Abyssinian mummy and a member of the Honour Guard, along with Silas and Miss Lupescu. He carries a pig with him for good luck, which annoys Miss Lupescu greatly.

Mr. Tar

Mr. Tar is a dark-skinned, bull-necked member of the Jacks of All Trades fraternity. Like all members of the group, his first name is Jack. He has a short temper and is extremely strong.

Mr. Ketch

A small, dark-haired man, Mr. Ketch is a member of the Jacks of All Trades fraternity. And, like all members, Jack is his first name. Mr. Ketch kills by strangling people with a thin black cord.

Mr. Nimble

Mr. Nimble is a towering blond man with a moustache and a member of the Jacks of All Trades fraternity. Like all members of the group, his first name is Jack.

Fortinbras

Fortinbras is a 10-year-old ghost and one of Bod’s best friends in the graveyard. They grow apart as Bod surpasses Fortinbras in age.

Mr. Pennyworth

Mr. Pennyworth is one of Bod’s ghostly teachers in the graveyard. He usually teaches Bod about “elements and humors,” but he also instructs Bod in Fading.

Miss Borrows

Miss Borrows is Bod’s grammar and composition teacher in the graveyard. In life, she was the “spinster of the parish.” Bod likes her because she’s easy to distract.

Tom

Tom lived during the Hundred Years War and fought in the conflict. In his ghostly present, he is happily dating Miss Euphemia.

Miss Euphemia

Miss Euphemia lived during the Victorian Era. As a ghost, she is now dating Tom and doesn’t care that they lived hundreds of years apart.

Mrs. Caraway

Mrs. Caraway is the mayor of the town surrounding the graveyard.