Exit Ghost

Main Characters and Their Development

• Nathan Zuckerman - The protagonist of the novel, a writer who returns to New York after a long period of seclusion in the countryside. He faces changes in the city and in his life, trying to cope with the effects of aging and the loss of former vitality. Encounters with young people and old acquaintances force him to rethink his life and work.
• Jamie Logan - A young woman Nathan meets in New York. She and her husband Richard want to swap apartments with Nathan. Jamie attracts Nathan with her energy and youth, stirring feelings in him that he hasn't experienced in a long time.
• Richard Kliman - Jamie's husband, a writer who also plays a significant role in Nathan's life. He represents a new generation of writers, and his relationship with Jamie provokes jealousy in Nathan and reflections on his own past.
• Amy Bellette - Nathan's former lover whom he meets in New York. She is ill and dying, and their meetings prompt Nathan to ponder love, loss, and mortality.
• George Zuckerman - An old friend and colleague of Nathan's who also appears in the novel. Their friendship and professional relationship are tested in light of new circumstances.