Haroun Khalifa – Haroun is the protagonist of the novel. Haroun, the son of Rashid, belittles his father and his love for storytelling. However, in his process of becoming a dynamic character, he travels to Kahani in order to replenish his father’s love for storytelling. Haroun has a peculiar trait involving the number eleven. In a form of repetition throughout the book, he is unable to do anything lasting longer than eleven minutes.
Rashid Khalifa – Rashid, also known as Shah of Blah and Ocean of Notions, is the father of Haroun. Rashid is a well-know storyteller who has been ridiculed for his beliefs. His upstairs neighbor and most adamant ridiculer, runs off with his wife one day. His
son turned on him after this crucial life event. This act crushed Rashid and makes the storyteller speechless. Rashid becomes a round character when he gains
his confidence back in storytelling with the aid of his
son.
Iff - Iff is the Water Genie. Iff is responsible for the care of the Story Water, which comes from the Earth’s second moon, Kahani. The Water Genie accompanies Haroun and Rashid on their journey. He becomes the Chief Water Genie at the end of the book.
Mali – Mali is the head of the floating gardeners. Although he is a relatively quiet person, he is talkative in comparison to others of his species. Mali is interwoven from flowers and vines and prevents stories from getting tangled. He saves Haroun and Iff from
Khattam-Shud’s Dark Ship in the Old Zone and is a faithful companion to Haroun throughout the journey.
Butt the Hoopoe – Hoopoe is a mechanical bird that flies Haroun to Kahani. Hoopoe, who possesses a fully operating brain is also telepathic. He is another one of Haroun’s faithful companions who accompanies him on his journey.
Walrus – The Walrus, who is also the head of the P2C2E, which is the Processes 2 Complicated 2 Explain, on Kahani. Haroun seeks to speak with him in order to get his father’s Story Water turned on again. At the end of the novel, Walrus grants Haroun’s wish and restores the happiness to Haroun’s city on Earth.
Blabbermouth – Bladdermouth is a Page in the Library, or the army, of Gup. She disguises herself as a boy but is discovered after saving the Guppee leadership from a suicide bomber. Blabbermouth is ill-tempered and stubborn and also faces strife with Princess Batcheat. There is a love connection between her and Haroun.
Khattam-Shud – “Khattam-Shud” means “the end” but
is a symbol for silence. He is the novel’s antagonist. He is the founder of a religion whose ultimate commandment is the absence of speech. His villainous plot is to plug the source of all stories and also poison the story streams of the Sea of Stories. He also captures Princess Batcheat. In a form of poetic justice, the statue of his religion falls on him and kills him.
Rashid Khalifa – Rashid, also known as Shah of Blah and Ocean of Notions, is the father of Haroun. Rashid is a well-know storyteller who has been ridiculed for his beliefs. His upstairs neighbor and most adamant ridiculer, runs off with his wife one day. His
son turned on him after this crucial life event. This act crushed Rashid and makes the storyteller speechless. Rashid becomes a round character when he gains
his confidence back in storytelling with the aid of his
son.
Iff - Iff is the Water Genie. Iff is responsible for the care of the Story Water, which comes from the Earth’s second moon, Kahani. The Water Genie accompanies Haroun and Rashid on their journey. He becomes the Chief Water Genie at the end of the book.
Mali – Mali is the head of the floating gardeners. Although he is a relatively quiet person, he is talkative in comparison to others of his species. Mali is interwoven from flowers and vines and prevents stories from getting tangled. He saves Haroun and Iff from
Khattam-Shud’s Dark Ship in the Old Zone and is a faithful companion to Haroun throughout the journey.
Butt the Hoopoe – Hoopoe is a mechanical bird that flies Haroun to Kahani. Hoopoe, who possesses a fully operating brain is also telepathic. He is another one of Haroun’s faithful companions who accompanies him on his journey.
Walrus – The Walrus, who is also the head of the P2C2E, which is the Processes 2 Complicated 2 Explain, on Kahani. Haroun seeks to speak with him in order to get his father’s Story Water turned on again. At the end of the novel, Walrus grants Haroun’s wish and restores the happiness to Haroun’s city on Earth.
Blabbermouth – Bladdermouth is a Page in the Library, or the army, of Gup. She disguises herself as a boy but is discovered after saving the Guppee leadership from a suicide bomber. Blabbermouth is ill-tempered and stubborn and also faces strife with Princess Batcheat. There is a love connection between her and Haroun.
Khattam-Shud – “Khattam-Shud” means “the end” but
is a symbol for silence. He is the novel’s antagonist. He is the founder of a religion whose ultimate commandment is the absence of speech. His villainous plot is to plug the source of all stories and also poison the story streams of the Sea of Stories. He also captures Princess Batcheat. In a form of poetic justice, the statue of his religion falls on him and kills him.