Dolores Claiborne

Main Characters and Their Development

• Dolores Claiborne: The main character of the book, an elderly woman who tells her story to the police. She worked as a housekeeper for Vera Donovan and was married to Joe St. George. Throughout the narrative, her complex character, resilience, and determination are revealed, as well as her struggle for survival and to protect her children.
• Vera Donovan: A wealthy and domineering woman for whom Dolores worked as a housekeeper. Vera plays a significant role in Dolores's life, and their relationship evolves from tense to almost friendly. Vera also becomes a catalyst for some key events in Dolores's life.
• Joe St. George: Dolores's husband, a cruel and abusive man. His behavior and actions have a profound impact on Dolores's life and her children. His death becomes the central event around which the main intrigue of the book is built.
• Selena St. George: The daughter of Dolores and Joe. Her relationship with her mother is complex and strained, especially after her father's death. Selena suffers from psychological trauma caused by her father's behavior, and her development in the book shows her struggle with these traumas and attempts to understand and forgive her mother.