Infinite Jest

Main Characters and Their Development

• Hal Incandenza - a talented tennis player and the youngest son of the founder of the Incandenza Tennis Academy, who struggles with the pressure of expectations and his own inner demons.
• James Incandenza - Hal's father and the founder of the Incandenza Tennis Academy, a brilliant but deeply unhappy man who ultimately commits suicide.
• Joelle van Dyne - James Incandenza's former lover, who suffers from addiction and is trying to find meaning in life.
• Don Gately - a former burglar who becomes a staff member at the rehabilitation center and battles his own addiction demons.
• Mario Incandenza - James's middle son, physically deformed but possessing a kind heart and deep understanding of the world around him.
• Orin Incandenza - James's eldest son, a professional football player who uses women to satisfy his emotional needs.