In the Castle of My Skin

Trumper is initially a troublemaker and a friend of G., Boy Blue, and Bob. He often assumes the role of unofficial leader. Early in the novel, readers get a glimpse of Trumper’s playful character when a story involving him taunting a white man is relayed. Trumper is light-skinned, and it’s rumored that his eyelids were burned off as punishment in reform school. He dreams of going to America, though he appreciates Barbados’s communal culture more. He shows immaturity by running toward a riot with Boy Blue, but then exhibits maturity by fighting in the riot for what his fellow man believes is right. Trumper eventually leaves for America and learns a valuable lesson about identity. He learns about the Negro race, which is something far greater than the smaller squabbles between blacks and whites—or even blacks and other blacks—in Barbados. He informs, warns, and advises G. on the subject of identity politics, thus highlighting how he’s matured to the ways of the world.

Mr. Creighton is the landlord of Creighton’s Village. An Englishman, his family has owned the land the village sits on for generations. Though white and considered by the black villagers as one of “The Greats,” Mr. Creighton is portrayed as a man who cares for the village and its people. He inspects the village roads after the annual flood season, he invites villagers to his mansion for tea, and he doesn’t mind them asking favors of him. The villagers think of him as someone above reproach. His attitude changes, however, when he’s made to believe (incorrectly) that his daughter was almost raped by three villagers. In truth, she was being wooed by a sailor at a party Mr. Creighton was throwing. Mr. Creighton is so upset by this event that he threatens to sell his land. When riots and strikes break out, Mr. Creighton is nearly killed by a mob. He eventually sells his land. By the end of the narrative, the villagers aren’t sure what to make of Mr. Creighton’s actions. He has always said he would protect them, but they see his selling of the land they live on as hurtful and duplicitous

Pa is the oldest person living in Creighton’s Village, along with Ma. No one knows his real name or how old he truly is, but he and Ma are respected as the village elders. Pa is the archetypal Old Man, and his chapters are always infused with wisdom, thus alluding to his age and life experiences. Pa was once quite well-off. He worked in Panama on the Panama Canal and returned with a lot of money. For Pa, the measure of a man is owning the house he lives in and living off of what he’s put into the earth. He watches as the village changes from war and greed, and deals with the death of Ma. Though he’s lived on his land longer than anyone, his plot is sold by the end of the narrative, and he’s told that he must move into the undesirable Alms House. More than anything, Pa wants to know why Mr. Slime and Mr. Creighton feel they can treat the villagers the way they do.

Ma is one of the oldest people in Creighton’s Village, along with Pa. Ma places her faith in God, and she doesn’t try to make sense of worldly matters like Pa does. She and Pa are fond of Mr. Creighton, and they wish the village would respect the old ways and stop making trouble for them all. She feels that Mr. Creighton will sell the land if things continue as they are, and though she’s right, she dies before the land is sold. Ma is the archetypal Old Woman imbued with nurturing and motherly wisdom.