Funny Story Characters: Full List & Analysis

Who drives the story

Main characters

Daphne Vincent

A children's librarian who moved to Waning Bay, Michigan for Peter and got dumped right before the wedding. She plans her exit, fakes a relationship, and slowly builds the thing she was about to abandon, until she can stay on her own terms.

Appears in:: Part 1: The Wedding Invitation; Part 2: The Senior Prom; Part 3: The Beach and the Bad Monday; Part 4: The Read-a-Thon
Themes:: Losing yourself in a relationship; Flaky parents and learned self-protection; Friendship as the real love story; Panic as a relationship obstacle

Miles Nowak

Petra's jilted boyfriend and Daphne's roommate, who agrees to fake-date her for the wedding and falls in love for real. He warns her he panics when things get complicated, then proves he can drive through the panic, literally, for hours, for her.

Appears in:: Part 1: The Wedding Invitation; Part 2: The Senior Prom; Part 3: The Beach and the Bad Monday; Part 4: The Read-a-Thon
Themes:: Losing yourself in a relationship; Flaky parents and learned self-protection; Friendship as the real love story; Panic as a relationship obstacle

Peter

Daphne's ex-fiancé who leaves her for his longtime friend Petra, then tries to win her back when her life improves. He is the mistake Daphne refuses to repeat.

Appears in:: Part 1: The Wedding Invitation; Part 2: The Senior Prom; Part 3: The Beach and the Bad Monday; Part 4: The Read-a-Thon
Themes:: Losing yourself in a relationship

Petra

Peter's childhood best friend and Miles's ex-girlfriend, who leaves Miles to be with Peter. Half of the couple whose wedding invitation starts everything.

Appears in:: Part 1: The Wedding Invitation; Part 2: The Senior Prom; Part 3: The Beach and the Bad Monday
Themes:: Panic as a relationship obstacle

Ashleigh

Daphne's tough, prickly library co-worker who becomes her closest friend after learning the relationship with Miles is fake. A missed birthday nearly costs Daphne the friendship; a secretly painted bedroom saves it.

Appears in:: Part 1: The Wedding Invitation; Part 2: The Senior Prom; Part 3: The Beach and the Bad Monday; Part 4: The Read-a-Thon
Themes:: Friendship as the real love story

Julia

Miles's younger sister from Chicago, sharp and observant, who joins the friend group and later credits Daphne with helping her and Miles finally discuss their troubled childhood.

Appears in:: Part 2: The Senior Prom; Part 4: The Read-a-Thon
Themes:: Friendship as the real love story

Jason

Daphne's neglectful father, who visits Michigan with his new wife Starfire, flakes on seeing Daphne, and only shows up for her after Miles drives hours to convince him.

Appears in:: Part 2: The Senior Prom; Part 3: The Beach and the Bad Monday; Part 4: The Read-a-Thon
Themes:: Flaky parents and learned self-protection; Panic as a relationship obstacle

Starfire

Jason's new wife, who joins him in skipping the planned visit with Daphne in favor of new friends.

Appears in:: Part 2: The Senior Prom; Part 3: The Beach and the Bad Monday

How they are connected

Key relationships

Daphne Vincent Peter
A children's librarian who moved to Waning Bay, Michigan for Peter and got dumped right before the wedding.
Miles Nowak Daphne Vincent
Petra's jilted boyfriend and Daphne's roommate, who agrees to fake-date her for the wedding and falls in love for real.
Miles Nowak Petra
Petra's jilted boyfriend and Daphne's roommate, who agrees to fake-date her for the wedding and falls in love for real.
Peter Petra
Daphne's ex-fiancé who leaves her for his longtime friend Petra, then tries to win her back when her life improves.
Ashleigh Daphne Vincent
Daphne's tough, prickly library co-worker who becomes her closest friend after learning the relationship with Miles is fake.
Ashleigh Miles Nowak
Daphne's tough, prickly library co-worker who becomes her closest friend after learning the relationship with Miles is fake.
Julia Daphne Vincent
Miles's younger sister from Chicago, sharp and observant, who joins the friend group and later credits Daphne with helping her and Miles finally discuss their troubled childhood.
Julia Miles Nowak
Miles's younger sister from Chicago, sharp and observant, who joins the friend group and later credits Daphne with helping her and Miles finally discuss their troubled childhood.
Jason Daphne Vincent
Daphne's neglectful father, who visits Michigan with his new wife Starfire, flakes on seeing Daphne, and only shows up for her after Miles drives hours to convince him.
Jason Miles Nowak
Daphne's neglectful father, who visits Michigan with his new wife Starfire, flakes on seeing Daphne, and only shows up for her after Miles drives hours to convince him.
Jason Starfire
Daphne's neglectful father, who visits Michigan with his new wife Starfire, flakes on seeing Daphne, and only shows up for her after Miles drives hours to convince him.
Starfire Daphne Vincent
Jason's new wife, who joins him in skipping the planned visit with Daphne in favor of new friends.

Go deeper

Funny Story themes & symbols

Losing yourself in a relationship · Flaky parents and learned self-protection · Friendship as the real love story · Panic as a relationship obstacle

Themes explained

Read the full Funny Story summary

The full story act by act, the ending explained and a quick quiz.

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