Due to the narrator’s overwhelming narcissism, most of the characters—other than the narrator—are not fleshed out in terms of description. That is, they are fairly two-dimensional characters, existing exclusively in relationship to the narrator himself. They do not seem to have thoughts or desires, mostly due to the narrator’s inability to empathize with other people. 

The unnamed narrator is an Irishman living in London who works in the art departments of advertising agencies. The novel spans almost a decade, from when the narrator is in his mid-twenties to thirties. He is the youngest of four children, and has two older brothers and a sister who view him as an annoyance growing up and who the narrator seems estranged from as an adult. He is neglected by his mother as a child, and his father, though he had previously shown him affection, informs the narrator he doesn’t care if he never speaks to him again. He is closer to his parents than to his siblings, although admittedly, that isn’t saying much. At the beginning of the novel, he is an alcoholic, although he begins to go to AA and becomes sober for reasons that are not altogether clear.

The narrator’s most overwhelming personality trait is his narcissism, as his self-centeredness seems to know no bounds.