Infinite Jest Characters - US/Canada
See also:
Other character illustrations:
My essays on Infinite Jest: On double binds; On recursion.
My book club podcast episode on DFW’s Brief Interviews
USOUS / ONAN
Hugh Steeply
Works for United States Office of Unspecified Services (USOUS). Meets with AFR’s Remy Marathe to find out about The Entertainment. Disguises as Helen Steeply, a female reporter for Moment magazine.
Rodney Tine
Head of USOUS. Hugh Steeply’s superior. In love with his stenographer Luria Perec.
President Johny Gentle
Germ-phobic. Former singer. “Famous Crooner”. President of the United States. Clean US Party ticket. De facto head of of Organisation of North American Nations (ONAN) and responsible for it’s founding.
Tom Veals
Co-founder of Viney and Veals Advertising Company which went under during the demise of the Big Four. Manages P.R. for Johnny Gentle’s campaign.
Hank F. Hoyne
Head of Data Analysis at USOUS. Tries to save the Idiot Intern and ends up needing to be fed nourishment through a tube.
Canadian Resistance
Remy Marathe
Possible quadruple agent. Potentially betraying the AFR for the USOUS to gain medical care for his wife. Meets with Hugh Steeply to discuss The Entertainment, love, utilitarianism, freedom, and the American dream.
Luria P
(Luria Perec.) Stenographer (and laiason) for Rodney Tine and Guillaume DuPlessis. Potential model.
Guillaume DuPlessis
High up member in pan-Canadian resistance. Lives in Brookline in a neo-Georgian “cocktease” of a house that was burgled robbed by Don Gately.
M. Fortier
Head of the AFR. Remy Marathe’s superior. Has prosthetic legs but rarely uses them.
M. Broullîme
High up AFR member. Leads experiments.
AFR
(Assassin Fouteils Rollent aka Wheelchair Assassins.) Quebec Separatist Group. Extremely violent. Group initiation is via a chicken-like game of jumping across railway tracks before oncoming trains. Less prominent members: Tassigny, Beausoleil, Balbalis, Ossowiecke, Desjardins, and Joubet.
FLQ
Front Liberation Quebec. Alternative Canadian resistance group. Also extremely violent. Members wear Hawaiin clothes.
Lucien & Betraund Antitoi
Both work at Antitoi Entertainment that sells cartridges and other bits and bobs. Lucien is responsible for inventory and order and struggles with French (and English) and has a broom. Bertraund is responsible for acquisition.
