Turtles All the Way Down Character Analysis

Aza Holmes

Aza is the sixteen-year-old protagonist of the novel. She has struggled for most of her life with anxiety and OCD. She spends much of her time wondering if she's real or not and as a… read analysis of Aza Holmes

Daisy

Daisy is Aza's best friend. She is bubbly, outgoing, and absolutely loves boys and Star Wars. Her life motto is "break hearts, not promises." She writes weekly installments of an ongoing fanfiction about Chewbacca's… read analysis of Daisy

Davis Pickett Jr.

Davis is Aza's love interest. He comes from a very wealthy family; his father, Davis Pickett Sr., owns the largest engineering firm in Indianapolis. His mother died when he was a child, and… read analysis of Davis Pickett Jr.

Mom

Mom is Aza's mother. She's a math teacher at Aza's high school and is a widow—Aza's dad died of a heart attack about eight years before the beginning of the novel. Although Mom… read analysis of Mom

Davis Pickett, Sr.

Davis Pickett, Sr. is one of the most successful businessmen in Indianapolis, though he disappears mysteriously right before the start of the novel after the police try to arrest him for fraud and embezzlement. He… read analysis of Davis Pickett, Sr.

Mychal

Mychal is a classmate and friend of Aza and Daisy, and for a short time he's Daisy's boyfriend. He's a talented art student, though he's often very uncertain of himself. His photographic work Prisoner… read analysis of Mychal

Noah

Noah is Davis' younger brother. At thirteen, he still believes that his dad, Mr. Pickett, loves him, and he becomes depressed and starts acting out after his father disappears. He asks Aza to keep… read analysis of Noah

Dr. Singh

Dr. Singh is Aza's therapist. She uses both cognitive behavioral therapy and medication to help control Aza's anxiety and OCD. She encourages Aza to remind herself that her thoughts are just thoughts and don't… read analysis of Dr. Singh

Dad

Dad is Aza's father, who died of (presumably) a heart attack while mowing the lawn about eight years prior to the start of the novel. Mom describes her husband as "a worrier" like Aza… read analysis of Dad

Tua

Tua is Davis Pickett Sr.'s female tuatara, a very primitive species of reptile. She's about 40 years old and is expected to live to at least 150 years old. She's also set to "inherit"… read analysis of Tua

Ayala

Ayala is a character in Daisy's Chewbacca fanfiction stories. She's modeled after Aza and shares her worrying personality. She's a horrible character who ruins everything for the other characters. Azyala serves as a point… read analysis of Ayala

Minor Characters

Lyle

Lyle is the groundskeeper at the Pickett estate. He seems to care deeply for the wellbeing of Davis and Noah and is initially very suspicious of Aza and Daisy.

Malik

Malik is the onsite zoologist at the Pickett estate. He cares for Tua, the tuatara that will receive the entirety of the Pickett inheritance upon Davis Pickett Sr.'s death. He's very passionate about his work, which Aza finds refreshing.

Rosa

Rosa is the house manager at the Pickett estate. She acts as a parent of sorts to Noah and Davis, though she leaves at six every night. Even though she seems to genuinely care for Noah and Davis, Davis insists that she's paid to do so.

Holly

Holly is Daisy and Aza's regular server at Applebee's. She doesn't find the girls charming because they habitually use coupons and never tip well.

Simon Morris

Simon Morris is Mr. Pickett's lawyer. He arranges to have a bank accept Daisy and Aza's deposits of the cash they received from Davis.

Elena

Elena is Daisy's eight-year-old sister. Daisy often has to babysit Elena when their parents have to work.