Mary

Main Characters and Their Development

• Ganin — the protagonist, a Russian émigré living in Berlin. At the beginning of the book, he is immersed in memories of his youth and first love, Mary. As the plot unfolds, Ganin decides to meet Mary, but ultimately realizes that his love for her is in the past, and he lets go of his illusions.
• Mary — Ganin's first love, who remains in his memories as an idealized image. Although she is not physically present in the book, her image plays a key role in the development of the plot and Ganin's inner world.
• Alexei Ivanovich Alfyorov — Mary's husband, also a Russian émigré. He lives in the same boarding house as Ganin and becomes an unwitting catalyst for Ganin's memories of Mary. His character helps Ganin realize that the past cannot be reclaimed.
• Lyudmila Borisovna — the landlady of the boarding house where Ganin lives. She represents a typical Russian émigré, caring for her lodgers and creating an atmosphere of a Russian home in a foreign country.
• Clara — a young woman living in the boarding house who has feelings for Ganin. Her character helps reveal Ganin's inner world and his inability to live in the present, as he is absorbed in memories of the past.