The Sheltering Sky characters

Appears from the start

An American composer traveling through North Africa after the Second World War with his wife, Kit. He insists on distinguishing himself from a tourist because he expects to remain abroad indefinitely. Introspective and emotionally remote, he hopes that moving farther from familiar life may repair a marriage that has grown strained.

Appears from the start

Port's wife and traveling companion. Intelligent, anxious, and strongly influenced by omens, she tries to control uncertainty through private rituals and predictions. Her marriage to Port is marked by affection, distance, and an inability to speak plainly about what either of them wants.

Appears from the start

A prosperous young American traveling with Port and Kit for part of their journey. Sociable, confident, and more conventionally touristic than Port, he is attracted to Kit. His presence gives the couple companionship but also intensifies their jealousy and marital tension.

First appears in chapter 2

A local man who attaches himself to Port during a solitary night walk through the coastal city. Acting as guide and intermediary, he leads Port away from the European quarter and arranges a meeting with Marhnia.

First appears in chapter 2

A young woman whom Port meets beyond the city through Smaïl. Her encounter with him combines intimacy, bargaining, and danger, immediately unsettling Port's wish to experience the region outside the protections of ordinary tourism.

First appears in chapter 6

An English travel writer moving through North Africa with her adult son, Eric. Loud, domineering, and dismissive of most people she meets, she presents herself as an authority on the region while depending on the same colonial travel network as the other foreigners.

First appears in chapter 6

Mrs. Lyle's adult son and traveling companion. Talkative and ingratiating, he complains about his dependence on his mother while continuing to live within it. His shifting stories and requests make him an uncomfortable presence among Port, Kit, and Tunner.

First appears in chapter 26

A merchant whom Kit encounters after she has fled alone into the desert. He takes her into a caravan, gives her male clothing for the journey, and forms an intense relationship with her as they travel toward his home.