Editing Keep the Aspidistra Flying (section)

==Characters==
* Gordon Comstock&nbsp;– a "well-educated and reasonably intelligent" young man possessed of a minor "talent for writing"
* Rosemary Waterlow&nbsp;– Comstock's girlfriend, whom he met at the advertising agency, who lives in a women's hostel and who has a forgiving nature, but about whom little else is revealed
* Philip Ravelston&nbsp;– the wealthy left-wing publisher and editor of the magazine ''Antichrist'' who supports and encourages Comstock
* Julia Comstock&nbsp;– Gordon's sister, who is as poor as he is and who, having always made sacrifices for him, continues to be so: "A tall, ungainly girl [–] her nature was simple and affectionate."
* Mrs Wisbeach&nbsp;– landlady of the lodging house in Willowbed Road who imposes strict rules on her tenants, including Comstock
* Mr Flaxman&nbsp;– Comstock's fellow lodger, a travelling salesman for the Queen of Sheba Toilet Requisites Company who is temporarily separated from his wife
* Mr McKechnie&nbsp;– the lazy, white-haired and white-bearded, [[Teetotalism|teetotal]] and [[snuff (tobacco)|snuff]]-taking Scot who owns the first of the two bookshops that Gordon works at
* Mr Cheeseman&nbsp;– the sinister and suspicious owner of the second bookshop
* Mr Erskine&nbsp;– a large, slow-moving man with a broad, healthy, expressionless face who is the managing director of the New Albion Publicity Company and promotes Gordon to a position as a copywriter