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Midnight's Children Characters
Midnight's Children Characters
The narrator and protagonist of the novel. Son of embarks on an affair with Shiva that results in a child.
Ahmed and Mumtaz Sinai Born at the moment of In the Hindu religion, Parvati is the consort of Shiva.
India’s independence and blessed with the powers of
telepathy and an uncanny sense of smell, Saleem tells Padma
his extraordinary life story as his body begins to Saleem’s devoted caretaker and future wife. Padma is
crumble. as strong and down-to-earth as Saleem is weak and
Aadam Aziz dreamy. She provides Saleem with a skeptical yet
Saleem’s grandfather. Aadam is the patriarch of the patient audience.
family, a doctor and skeptic whose loss of faith leaves
what he refers to as a “hole” inside of him. Aadam Naseem Ghani
falls in love with his wife, Naseem, after only being Saleem’s grandmother, and Aadam Aziz’s wife. After
allowed to see her through a hole in a perforated sheet. marriage, Naseem becomes known as Reverend
Mother, in part because of her religious devotion. As
Ahmed Sinai her husband withers away with age, Reverend Mother
Saleem’s father. A shrewd businessman who is grows increasingly large and powerful.
nonetheless destined for failure, Ahmed spends much
of his marriage fighting his wife and his alcohol William Methwold
addiction. Saleem’s biological father. An Englishman, William
Methwold seduces women with his perfectly parted
Mumtaz (Amina Sinai) hair, which is actually a wig. He owns Methwold’s
Saleem’s mother, and the daughter of Aadam Aziz. Estate, a portion of which he sells to Ahmed Sinai. He
Born Mumtaz, she changes her name to Amina after sees his departure from India as marking the tragic end
her marriage to Ahmed. A loving, devoted mother, she of an era.
inherits her father’s skepticism and her mother’s
determination. Despite being married to Ahmed, she is Alia
never able to forget her first husband, Nadir Khan. Saleem’s aunt, and a sister of Amina. After Ahmed
Sinai rejects her for her sister, Alia harbors a lifelong
Mary Pereira bitterness and determination to destroy her sister and
Saleem’s ayah and surrogate mother. Mary is her sister’s family.
responsible for switching Saleem and Shiva at birth out
of a misguided sense of social justice. In order to Hanif
compensate for her crime, she dedicates her life to Saleem’s uncle, and a brother of Amina. Hanif was
raising Saleem. once one of the most promising film directors in India.
However, his dream to create art free from melodrama
Shiva and superstition fails, and, as his career falls apart, he
Saleem’s archrival. Shiva is born at exactly the same commits suicide.
moment as Saleem. While Saleem is raised in a loving,
wealthy household, Shiva is raised in abject poverty by Nadir Khan
a single father. He is blessed with a pair of Amina’s first husband. As a young man, Nadir Khan is
preternaturally strong knees and an amazing prowess the personal assistant to Mian Abdullah, as well as a
in war. Shiva is named after the Hindu god of bad poet. He falls in love with Amina but is forced to
destruction, who is also the god associated with divorce her on account of his impotence. He later
procreation. changes his name to Qasim Khan and becomes a
communist.
Parvati-the-witch
A real witch, and, like Saleem, one of the children born Mustapha
at the moment of India’s independence. Parvati is Saleem’s uncle, and a brother of Amina. Mustapha is
Saleem’s closest ally as a child and later becomes his the ideal, obedient civil servant. He is so passive, he’s
wife. Despite her fantastic powers, she is unable to nearly inconsequential—a fate he takes out on his
children by constantly beating them until they have no One of the children living on Methwold’s Estate.
personality left. Sonny is Saleem’s best friend. He is also in love with
Saleem’s sister, the Brass Monkey.
Emerald
Saleem’s aunt, and a sister of Amina. Emerald marries Joseph D’Costa
Major Zulfikar and enjoys an opulently comfortable A social radical who later becomes a ghost. Joseph
lifestyle. Selfish and self-absorbed, she only D’Costa’s political beliefs inspire Mary’s decision to
reluctantly comes to her sister’s aid. switch Shiva and Saleem, and his ghost later compels
her to confess her crime.
General Zulfikar
Emerald’s husband, and an important figure in the Commander Sabarmati
Pakistani army. General Zulfikar helps orchestrate a A high-ranking official in the Indian navy. After
coup against the Pakistani government and makes learning that his wife, Lila, has had an affair,
money by smuggling items into the country. His Commander Sabarmati shoots her, kills her lover, and
constant abuse of his son, Zafar, eventually provokes then surrenders. He temporarily becomes a national
Zafar into killing him. hero.
Ghani
Naseem’s father. Ghani is a blind, wealthy landowner.
Tai
An old boatman from Kashmir. Tai is a mysterious,
ancient, and wise figure who remains resentful of the
world’s encroachment into his territory until his death.
Ramram Seth
A prophet who predicts Saleem’s future while Amina
is pregnant.