The Making of Americans Characters

Henry Dehning

Henry Dehning, a rich merchant. Although he is of medium height, his facial features denote strength: a firm chin, a strong, curved nose, and coarse, bushy eyebrows. These are matched by square shoulders and a stocky body, both of which belie his agility in movement and gentle temper. He is of immigrant parents and is a self-made man. In his business dealings, he is firm, careful, practical, and basically honest. In love, he does not mind feeling owned; in fact, he likes somewhat aggressive women. As a successful patriarch, he likes giving kindly advice, which tends to be sprinkled with Old World wisdom despite his many years spent in America.

Jenny Dehning

Jenny Dehning, Henry Dehning’s wife. She is a fair woman, heavy but attractive. She has a healthy, prosperous look about her. Her pride in her husband’s success does not prevent her from upbraiding him for his lapses in social niceties. She is usually cheerful, but at times she can be crude, harsh, aggressive, and filled with her own importance.

Julia Dehning

Julia Dehning, the eldest daughter of Henry and Jenny Dehning. Fair like her mother, she radiates the energy, vigor, and daring that come from a pampered existence. Her father adores her. From her grandparents’ tradition, she inherited a need for romance and passion. She thinks that she has a taste for adventure and the more refined experiences of life, which...