Jims
Known collectively as "the Jims," these two New York journalists work for a U.S. tabloid and find themselves immersed in the natural surroundings of coastal Kenya due to a job assignment. Overweight and out of shape, they awkwardly navigate the environment, unaware of its dangers. They embody a mindset that exploits the allure of exotic locations, twisting them for gain without any desire for true understanding. Their selective questioning highlights their tendency to probe only within the confines of their preconceived notions.
Josh

At the beginning of the narrative, Josh, the thirty-year-old idealistic son of the shell collector, has tragically died from a cone shell sting. Raised by his mother, Josh joined the Peace Corps and stopped in Kenya to visit his father before heading to Uganda to start his mission. Labeled a "goody-goody," Josh genuinely wanted to help but recklessly ignored his father’s warnings about the dangers of the environment. His youthful optimism led him to make the fatal error of disregarding his father's advice regarding cone shells.

Dr. Kabiru
Dr. Kabiru, a local doctor from Lamu, arrives by water taxi at the collector’s kibanda when Nancy is ill and when the collector’s son is stung. In both instances, Dr. Kabiru is unable to offer assistance. His delayed arrival highlights the local challenges in providing swift and urgent medical care during emergencies. Following the miraculous recoveries, Dr. Kabiru claims to have researched cone venom and foresaw the positive outcomes for both Nancy and Seema.

MuezzinSee Mwadhini

Mwadhini
The mwadhini, an official at Lamu's largest mosque, calls the faithful to prayer five times a day. (His title translates to muezzin in English.) He is characterized by a "strident, resonant voice" that "carries an astonishing faith." When his daughter, Seema, becomes critically ill with malaria and the congregation's prayers seem ineffective, the mwadhini seeks the shell collector's help, persuading him to expose Seema to the cone shell venom.
Nancy

Originally from Seattle, Nancy is a wife and mother who ended up on the shore near the collector’s kibanda, suffering from sunstroke and recurring malaria. She confided in the collector that she had an epiphany back in Seattle, realizing that "her life—two kids, a three-story Tudor, an Audi wagon—was not what she wanted." In Cairo, she met a "neo-Buddhist" who taught her the importance of "inner peace and equilibrium," concepts that seemed to guide her journey. Ironically, being stung by a cone shell puts her in a catatonic state, making Nancy feel "balanced" for the first time, completely cured of her recurring malaria, and even open to returning to Seattle.

Ophthalmologist
The ophthalmologist first encountered the protagonist at the age of twelve, when the boy was already blind. Rather than spending time inspecting the boy's eyes, the insightful doctor took off the boy's shoes and socks, guiding him by hand to the beach. This experience introduced the boy to the world of shells, sparking a passion that would last a lifetime.

Seema
Seema, the eight-year-old daughter of the mwadhini, is critically ill with malignant malaria. As a last hope, her father encourages the shell collector to intentionally place a cone shell in her hand, allowing it to sting her. Seema remarkably recovers within twelve hours. In a gesture of gratitude, Seema finds the shell collector the morning after he is stung, helps him back to his hut, and tends to him daily.

Shell Collector
The unnamed protagonist of the tale was born in Canada and, at nine years old, shot a sick caribou from his father's helicopter. By twelve, he lost his sight due to a retinal disease. After being...