<Dl> <Dt> Augusten Burroughs </Dt> <Dd> The main character , son of Deirdre and Norman , was sent to live with his psychotic mother 's psychiatrist , Dr. Finch , and his family at the age of 13 and is eventually signed off to the Finch family . He has mild obsessive compulsive tendencies . It is at the Finch house where he enters into a relationship with Neil , trying to live with the insane and dirty living conditions of the Finches while coping with his mother 's mental condition . He has a close relationship with Natalie , Dr. Finch 's youngest daughter . He has a passion for hair products , wanting to have his name on a line of hair products . </Dd> <Dt> Deirdre Burroughs </Dt> <Dd> Deirdre is the mother of Augusten and was married to Norman until their divorce . She is a mentally unstable poet , who , after her divorce , engages in a relationship with the local minister 's wife . She allows Augusten to pretend to attempt suicide so he can be released from school . She has a relationship with a teenage girl after the minister 's wife will not divorce her own husband . </Dd> <Dt> Dr. Finch </Dt> <Dd> The psychiatrist of Deirdre , father of Natalie and Hope , and `` husband '' of Agnes Finch . Although Agnes and Dr. Finch are technically married , Dr. Finch has multiple other relationships with various women , all of whom he calls his wife , saying that Agnes is only his `` legal '' wife and does n't understand him . Dr. Finch takes Augusten in , and later legally adopts him , after Deirdre decides she can not handle the emotional stress of mothering Augusten . Dr. Finch 's psychiatric methods are highly unconventional ; he unwittingly makes his patients worse instead of curing them by giving them unmarked medicines , using techniques that disturb them , and generally encouraging their unhealthy behavior . </Dd> <Dt> Neil Bookman </Dt> <Dd> The adopted son of Dr. Finch . Soon after Burroughs moves in with the Finches , Neil , who was 33 , forms a sexual relationship with Burroughs , who was only 13 . He becomes infatuated with and very protective of Burroughs , who rarely returns these feelings , but still maintains a relationship with him . His infatuation eventually turns to obsession and he constantly tells Burroughs he would die if Burroughs left him . </Dd> <Dt> Natalie Finch </Dt> <Dd> The youngest daughter of Dr. Finch and Agnes who is seen as wild , unruly , and promiscuous throughout the memoir , giving her first hand job at the age of 11 . She is only one year older than Burroughs , with whom she eventually becomes great friends . </Dd> <Dt> Norman Burroughs </Dt> <Dd> The abusive and alcoholic husband of Deirdre and father of Augusten . His abusive , oppressive relationship with Deirdre is one of the main causes of her instability and Augusten 's difficult life . When Augusten later tries to reach out to him , his phone calls are ignored , leading to further estrangement . </Dd> <Dt> Agnes Finch </Dt> <Dd> Mother of the Finch children and wife of Dr. Finch . Her role in the family is small , serving as more of a maid than a wife or mother . No one in the household shows her any respect and rarely even listen to her , telling her constantly to `` shut up '' . </Dd> <Dt> Hope Finch </Dt> <Dd> The older sister to Natalie . She works as a receptionist in Dr. Finch 's office and is the first person in the Finch family to befriend Burroughs . </Dd> <Dt> Fern </Dt> <Dd> The first female lover of Deirdre Burroughs . She is a minister 's wife with children , and keeps her relationship with Deirdre a secret . The relationship ends when Fern refuses to leave her family . </Dd> <Dt> Dorothy </Dt> <Dd> A teenage , African - American former patient of Dr. Finch who becomes Dierdre 's second female lover . Dorothy , who was also mentally unstable , encouraged Dierdre 's erratic behavior , finding it exciting . She does everything from setting money on fire to putting broken glass in the bathtub . </Dd> </Dl>
<Dl> <Dt> Augusten Burroughs </Dt> <Dd> The main character , son of Deirdre and Norman , was sent to live with his psychotic mother 's psychiatrist , Dr. Finch , and his family at the age of 13 and is eventually signed off to the Finch family . He has mild obsessive compulsive tendencies . It is at the Finch house where he enters into a relationship with Neil , trying to live with the insane and dirty living conditions of the Finches while coping with his mother 's mental condition . He has a close relationship with Natalie , Dr. Finch 's youngest daughter . He has a passion for hair products , wanting to have his name on a line of hair products . </Dd> <Dt> Deirdre Burroughs </Dt> <Dd> Deirdre is the mother of Augusten and was married to Norman until their divorce . She is a mentally unstable poet , who , after her divorce , engages in a relationship with the local minister 's wife . She allows Augusten to pretend to attempt suicide so he can be released from school . She has a relationship with a teenage girl after the minister 's wife will not divorce her own husband . </Dd> <Dt> Dr. Finch </Dt> <Dd> The psychiatrist of Deirdre , father of Natalie and Hope , and `` husband '' of Agnes Finch . Although Agnes and Dr. Finch are technically married , Dr. Finch has multiple other relationships with various women , all of whom he calls his wife , saying that Agnes is only his `` legal '' wife and does n't understand him . Dr. Finch takes Augusten in , and later legally adopts him , after Deirdre decides she can not handle the emotional stress of mothering Augusten . Dr. Finch 's psychiatric methods are highly unconventional ; he unwittingly makes his patients worse instead of curing them by giving them unmarked medicines , using techniques that disturb them , and generally encouraging their unhealthy behavior . </Dd> <Dt> Neil Bookman </Dt> <Dd> The adopted son of Dr. Finch . Soon after Burroughs moves in with the Finches , Neil , who was 33 , forms a sexual relationship with Burroughs , who was only 13 . He becomes infatuated with and very protective of Burroughs , who rarely returns these feelings , but still maintains a relationship with him . His infatuation eventually turns to obsession and he constantly tells Burroughs he would die if Burroughs left him . </Dd> <Dt> Natalie Finch </Dt> <Dd> The youngest daughter of Dr. Finch and Agnes who is seen as wild , unruly , and promiscuous throughout the memoir , giving her first hand job at the age of 11 . She is only one year older than Burroughs , with whom she eventually becomes great friends . </Dd> <Dt> Norman Burroughs </Dt> <Dd> The abusive and alcoholic husband of Deirdre and father of Augusten . His abusive , oppressive relationship with Deirdre is one of the main causes of her instability and Augusten 's difficult life . When Augusten later tries to reach out to him , his phone calls are ignored , leading to further estrangement . </Dd> <Dt> Agnes Finch </Dt> <Dd> Mother of the Finch children and wife of Dr. Finch . Her role in the family is small , serving as more of a maid than a wife or mother . No one in the household shows her any respect and rarely even listen to her , telling her constantly to `` shut up '' . </Dd> <Dt> Hope Finch </Dt> <Dd> The older sister to Natalie . She works as a receptionist in Dr. Finch 's office and is the first person in the Finch family to befriend Burroughs . </Dd> <Dt> Fern </Dt> <Dd> The first female lover of Deirdre Burroughs . She is a minister 's wife with children , and keeps her relationship with Deirdre a secret . The relationship ends when Fern refuses to leave her family . </Dd> <Dt> Dorothy </Dt> <Dd> A teenage , African - American former patient of Dr. Finch who becomes Dierdre 's second female lover . Dorothy , who was also mentally unstable , encouraged Dierdre 's erratic behavior , finding it exciting . She does everything from setting money on fire to putting broken glass in the bathtub . </Dd> </Dl>
who is dr finch from running with scissors
who is dr finch from running with scissors
psychiatrist of Deirdre , father of Natalie and Hope , and `` husband '' of Agnes Finch
psychiatrist of Deirdre , father of Natalie and Hope , and `` husband '' of Agnes Finch