# North Wind — At the Back of the North Wind character guide > North Wind in At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Miss North Wind, dear North Wind, Wind, Lady North Wind, Mr. North Wind, Mister North Wind **First appearance:** 0003-iv-north-wind ## Snapshot A vast and changeable spirit who can shrink to a spider on a boy's shoulder or sink a ship, and who insists she is only doing what must be done. ## Who they are North Wind moves through the world as weather and as woman, blowing through houses, dreams, and the affairs of men, and she answers to orders she never fully explains. She is tender with Diamond and terrible to those she must correct, and she will not stay where she is not wanted, which makes her both a comfort and a mystery to him. Her work in the early and middle chapters, from carrying Diamond to the country at her back to sinking the ship that ruins the Colemans, sets the moral weather of the whole book. ## Relationships ### [Diamond](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/characters/diamond) _psychological_ Diamond has a mystical, guiding relationship with the personified North Wind, who takes him on transformative journeys between life and death. ### [Mother](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/characters/mother) _psychological_ Diamond's mother is uneasy and fearful of North Wind's influence on her son, sensing its otherworldly nature. ### [Father](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/characters/father) _psychological_ Diamond's father is bewildered and troubled by North Wind's mysterious presence in his son's life. ### [Diamond](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/characters/diamond) _psychological_ Diamond has a mystical, guiding relationship with the personified North Wind, who takes him on transformative journeys between life and death. ### [Diamond](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/characters/diamond) _psychological_ Diamond has a mystical, guiding relationship with the personified North Wind, who takes him on transformative journeys between life and death. ### [Mother](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/characters/mother) _psychological_ Diamond's mother is uneasy and fearful of North Wind's influence on her son, sensing its otherworldly nature. ### [Mother](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/characters/mother) _psychological_ Diamond's mother is uneasy and fearful of North Wind's influence on her son, sensing its otherworldly nature. ### [Father](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/characters/father) _psychological_ Diamond's father is bewildered and troubled by North Wind's mysterious presence in his son's life. ### [Father](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/characters/father) _psychological_ Diamond's father is bewildered and troubled by North Wind's mysterious presence in his son's life. ## In the story ### [The Hayloft](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/chapters/i-the-hayloft) A majestic and beautiful being who speaks through the hole in the wall, she introduces herself and persuades Diamond to follow her. ### [II: The Lawn](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/chapters/ii-the-lawn) North Wind descends the stair ahead of Diamond but disappears before he reaches the yard. ### [Old Diamond](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/chapters/iii-old-diamond) Appears as a young girl, leads Diamond on an adventure, and transforms in size during their travels. ### [IV: North Wind](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/chapters/iv-north-wind) Carries Diamond in her hair as she sweeps the sky; allows Diamond to descend to help the girl but does not wait for him. ### [V: The Summerhouse](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/chapters/v-the-summerhouse) Appears as a tiny creature helping a bumblebee from a tulip, then as a miniature figure on a river wall waking a poet; chides Diamond for not recognizing her in different sizes. ### [VI: Out in the Storm](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/chapters/vi-out-in-the-storm) North Wind lifts Diamond from his bed and carries him through the storm, sheltering him in her arms. She explains her dual nature and defends her intention to sink a ship, asserting that her unknown actions are as kind as those Diamond knows. ### [VII: The Cathedral](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/chapters/vii-the-cathedral) Leaves Diamond to walk alone to teach him courage; explains she bears the cries of the drowning by hearing a far-off song; blows a gentle wind to revive Diamond's courage. ### [VIII: The East Window](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/chapters/viii-the-east-window) Mentioned in Diamond's dream as being criticized by the false Apostles, and later Diamond thinks of asking her to take him to the Hyperborean regions. ### [IX: How Diamond Got to the Back of the North Wind](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/chapters/ix-how-diamond-got-to-the-back-of-the-north-wind) North Wind grows faint and transparent, dissolves into light, and later appears as a motionless figure on an ice doorstep. She instructs Diamond to walk through her to reach the back of the north wind. ### [X: At the Back of the North Wind](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/chapters/x-at-the-back-of-the-north-wind) North Wind is absent from the country at the back of the north wind; Diamond finds himself there without her. ### [XI: How Diamond Got Home Again](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/chapters/xi-how-diamond-got-home-again) Sits motionless on her doorstep until Diamond touches her, then transforms into animals to guide him. ### [XII: Who Met Diamond at Sandwich](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/chapters/xii-who-met-diamond-at-sandwich) Active in causing Mr. Coleman's financial ruin and Miss Coleman's illness; carries Diamond to Sandwich. ### [The Drunken Cabman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/chapters/xviii-the-drunken-cabman) Mentioned as the sound Diamond initially thinks he hears, but it is not her. ### [Little Boy Blue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/chapters/little-boy-blue) The wind is personified and responds to Little Boy Blue's call, following him as part of the procession. ### [XXV: Diamond's Dream](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/chapters/xxv-diamond-s-dream) Diamond dreams he is waiting for North Wind in the old garden, but she does not come. ### [Little Daylight](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/chapters/xxviii-little-daylight) Not directly present in this embedded tale. ### [Diamond and Ruby](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/chapters/xxxii-diamond-and-ruby) Calls Diamond to the stable, though she remains unseen. ### [Diamond Questions North Wind](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/chapters/xxxvi-diamond-questions-north-wind) Appears in the attic room, dances with Diamond, carries him to a meadow and a common, and struggles to answer his questions about reality and dreams. ### [XXXVII: Once More](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/chapters/xxxvii-once-more) Guides Diamond, takes him to comfort a lady, and leads him on a nighttime journey. ### [At the Back of the North Wind](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/chapters/xxxviii-at-the-back-of-the-north-wind) The mysterious being who visits Diamond silently, appearing white as snow with blue eyes. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/characters/north_wind - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/at_the_back_of_the_north_wind_se/characters