Running With Scissors (memoir) - Characters

Characters

Augusten Burroughs

The main character, son of Deirdre and Norman, was sent to live with his psychotic mother's psychiatrist, Dr. Finch, and his family at the age of 13 and is eventually adopted by the Finch family. He has mild obsessive compulsive tendencies. It is at the Finch house where he enters into a relationship with Neil, trying to live with the insane and dirty living conditions of the Finches while coping with his mother's mental condition and his father's lack of love and care for him.

Deirdre Burroughs

Deirdre is the mother of Augusten and was married to Norman until their divorce. She is a mentally unstable poet, who, after her divorce, engages in a relationship with another married woman. She allows Augusten to pretend to attempt suicide so he can be released from school, has a relationship with a teenage girl, and sees her psychiatrist at least once a day.

Dr. Finch

The psychiatrist of Deirdre, father of Natalie and Hope, and "husband" of Agnes Finch. Although Agnes and Dr. Finch are technically married, Dr. Finch has multiple other relationships with various women, all of whom he calls his wife, saying that Agnes is only his "legal" wife and doesn't understand him. Dr. Finch takes Augusten in, and later legally adopts him, after Deirdre decides she cannot handle the emotional stress of mothering Augusten. Dr. Finch's psychiatric methods are highly unconventional; he unwittingly makes his patients worse instead of curing them by giving them unmarked medicines, using techniques that disturb them, and generally encouraging their unhealthy behavior.

Neil Bookman

The adopted son of Dr. Finch. Soon after Burroughs moves in with the Finches, Neil, who was 33, forms a sexual relationship with Burroughs, who was only 13. He becomes infatuated with and very protective of Burroughs, who rarely returns these feelings, but still maintains a relationship with him. His infatuation eventually turns to obsession and he constantly tells Burroughs he would die if Burroughs left him.

Natalie Finch

The youngest daughter of Dr. Finch and Agnes who is seen as wild, unruly, and promiscuous throughout the memoir, giving her first hand job at the age of 11. She is only one year older than Burroughs, with whom she eventually becomes great friends.

Norman Burroughs

The abusive and alcoholic husband of Deirdre and father of Augusten. His abusive, oppressive relationship with Deirdre is one of a the main causes of her instability and Augusten's difficult life. When Augusten later tries to reach out to him, his phone calls are ignored, leading to further estrangement.

Agnes Finch

Mother of the Finch children and wife of Dr. Finch. Her role in the family is small, serving as more of a maid than a wife or mother. No one in the household shows her any respect and rarely even listen to her, telling her constantly to "shut up".

Hope Finch

The older sister to Natalie. She works as a receptionist in Dr. Finch's office and is the first person in the Finch family to befriend Burroughs.

Fern

The first female lover of Deirdre Burroughs. She is a minister's wife with children, and keeps her relationship with Deirdre a secret. The relationship ends when Fern refuses to leave her family.

Dorothy

A teenage, African-American former patient of Dr. Finch who becomes Dierdre's second lesbian lover. Dorothy, who was also mentally unstable, encouraged Dierdre's erratic behavior, finding it exciting. She does everything from setting money on fire to putting broken glass in the bathtub.