Ann Burden
Ann Burden, the protagonist, is a resourceful 16 year old
girl who keeps a journal, chronicling her efforts to survive after a worldwide
nuclear conflict. Her determined personality helps her to survive by herself,
for more than a year, in a small valley that was incredibly untouched by the
radiation that had devastated the world outside. Ann is very self-sufficient,
growing and farming all the food she needs to survive. She is cautious and
fearful for her survival, yet still strong-willed and caring throughout the
whole traumatizing events of the novel. She knows in this dystopian world she
needs to use her trust wisely.
Mr John Loomis
Mr. Loomis (John) comes into the novel when he arrives in the
valley, without knowing Ann was in there. He is the creator of the
radiation-proof suit, and he is obsessively attached to his creation. In the
end of the novel he has a very cruel personality, and he murdered the man he
got trapped with after the nuclear war, because the other man (Edward) wanted
to use the suit to reach his family, while Mr. Loomis (John) was fed up with
trying to convince Edward that everyone outside their lab was dead. In the end,
Mr. Loomis killed Edward and he took the suit for himself, hoping himself to
find a place to live in while exploring outside, with the security of the suit.
His exploring led him to Ann’s valley.
Faro (the dog)
Faro is Ann’s brother’s
loyal dog, and he went missing after David left the valley, but he returns
after a full year (Ann assumed he was dead as well), in a bad condition. At the
end of the novel Mr. Loomis uses Faro in an attempt to chase Ann down by using
Faro’s tracking skills. Ann eventually decides to kill Faro as she will never
be able to hide as long as Loomis has him under his control.