The Bay Boy

A 16-year-old torn between education and priesthood, Donald is curious, anxious, and driven by a fragile sense of freedom. He witnesses the town’s darkness and must decide how much truth he can bear. His coming-of-age arc is marked by risk, desire, and a longing for a life beyond his father’s expectations.

Donald’s mother, who pushes him toward education and religious life while hoping for his happiness. She embodies maternal concern and quiet resilience, balancing tradition with a desire to protect her son. Her role anchors the family’s moral compass amid troubling events.

Donald’s father, a working man who passes on his bootlegging activity and practical worldview. He cares for his family in tough times, but his expectations for Donald clash with the boy’s own yearnings. He represents the island’s rugged, traditional ethos.

A powerful police figure whose control extends into the personal lives of residents. He uses fear and authority to discipline others, revealing a corrupt underside of law enforcement. His tension with Donald becomes central to the story’s moral conflict.

One of Coldwell’s daughters and a focal point of Donald’s affections, Saxon embodies youth and the allure—and risk—of forbidden attraction. Her presence adds emotional tension and a mirror to Donald’s own desires.

Saxon’s sister, a figure in the Coldwell household who becomes entangled in the family’s dynamics. She experiences the reach of her father’s authority and the town’s scrutiny, offering another lens on the era’s social constraints.

The top student in class who seduces Donald, introducing him to physical intimacy and the possibility of romance beyond the priestly path. She is practical, confident, and aware of her own desires.

The police chief and relative of the town’s power network, a key figure in the enforcement of rules and the cover-ups surrounding Coldwell’s actions. He represents institutional authority and its limits.

A visiting priest who triggers Donald’s troubling memory of attempted molestation, reflecting the era’s complexities around religious figures and trust. His presence adds a darker dimension to the community’s moral fabric.

A local priest who helps frame the religious expectations surrounding Donald’s life, providing a counterpoint to his secular yearnings. He embodies the spiritual voice in the town.

A neighbor or acquaintance who appears in the broader community, contributing to the sense of a close-knit but morally complex world on the island.