us : ▁The ▁hospital ▁jan itor ▁who ▁helps ▁Frank ▁and ▁Pat ric ia ▁communicate , ▁and ▁who ▁later ▁rec ites ▁poetry ▁to ▁Frank ▁in ▁the ▁eye ▁hospital ▁ ▁Mr . ▁Tim oney : ▁An ▁old ▁man ▁who ▁pays ▁Frank ▁to ▁read ▁books ▁to ▁him ▁ ▁D ot ty ▁O ’ Ne ill : ▁Frank ' s ▁somewhat ▁ecc ent ric ▁ 4 th ▁class ▁teacher ▁who ▁lov es ▁Eu cl id ▁ ▁Mr . ▁O ’ De a : ▁Frank ' s ▁ 5 th ▁class ▁teacher ▁and ▁head master ▁ ▁Ther esa ▁Car m ody : ▁A ▁ 1 7 - year - old ▁consum pt ive ▁girl ▁with ▁whom ▁Frank ▁has ▁a ▁sexual ▁relationship . ▁Frank ▁des per ately ▁wor ries ▁about ▁the ▁fate ▁of ▁Ther esa ' s ▁ ▁soul , ▁which ▁he ▁thinks ▁he ▁is ▁je op ard izing ▁by ▁having ▁pre mar ital ▁sex ▁with ▁her ▁ ▁Mic key ▁Sp ella cy : ▁A ▁friend ▁of ▁Frank ' s ▁who , ▁anticip ating ▁his ▁sister ' s ▁death , ▁promises ▁Frank ▁he ▁can ▁come ▁to ▁the ▁w ake ▁and ▁eat ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁food ▁ ▁Liter ary ▁significance ▁and ▁reception ▁ ▁Background ▁After ▁travel ing ▁to ▁America ▁( where ▁the ▁book ▁ends ), ▁Frank ▁ended ▁up ▁working ▁at ▁the ▁B ilt more ▁Hotel ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City , ▁where ▁he ▁remained ▁until ▁ 1 9 5 1 . ▁Frank ▁was ▁draft ed ▁during ▁the ▁Korean ▁war ▁to ▁be ▁station ed ▁in ▁Bav aria , ▁Germany . ▁After ▁being