Everything Is Illuminated

Main Characters and Their Development

• Jonathan Safran Foer — a young American Jew who travels to Ukraine to find the woman who saved his grandfather during the Holocaust. Throughout the journey, he confronts his own roots and family history, leading to profound personal changes and realizations.
• Alex Perchov — a young Ukrainian who works as a translator and guide for Jonathan. He dreams of a better life in America and gradually changes under the influence of their shared journey, realizing the importance of his family and history.
• Grandfather (Alex's grandfather) — an elderly man who suffers from guilt and past traumas. During the journey with Jonathan and Alex, he gradually reveals his secrets and finds a path to forgiveness and reconciliation with himself.
• Augustine — the woman Jonathan is searching for. Her story and fate are key to understanding the past and present of all the characters, intertwining their lives and destinies into a cohesive whole.