Amerika: The Missing Person

Edward Jakob is Karl’s maternal uncle. He is a prominent businessman and state councillor with a highly successful transportation company in New York City. Initially, Karl does not recognize their relation because his uncle changed his surname.

Jakob describes his long stay in America and his detachment from his family in Europe. Despite his reserved nature, Jakob exhibits strong emotions at times, such as when he meets Karl on the Hamburg-America line—“dabbing” at his face “with a handkerchief” (18). When departing the ship, Jakob also hugs Karl, comforting him before he begins his new life.

Jakob proves serious and work-oriented. He wants Karl to adjust to American life as quickly as possible and seems to be preparing him for the world of business. He tells Karl to stay away from his family, saying that there are a “few home truths about his parents and their ilk” (19) that he will disclose someday. However, these secrets are never shared as Karl is soon exiled from his uncle’s home.

Prior to Karl’s second exile, Jakob warns his nephew not to waste time and teaches him the value of industry. Sometimes, Jakob is subtler in his lessons—which leads to his and Karl’s falling out. When Karl leaves to visit Mr. Pollunder, he senses that his uncle is upset, but does not grasp the gravity of the situation—that his uncle has motives and nuances that may not align with those of his business partners.

Delamarche (a Frenchman) and Robinson (an Irishman) are the two unemployed men who become Karl’s temporary family after his second exile and firing from the Hotel Occidental (which they caused). The trio spends their first day together walking to Butterford, with Delamarche and Robinson forcing Karl to pay for their meals. As the two men discuss their plans, it becomes clear that they do not even agree on the future: Delamarche wishes to stay in Butterford, while Robinson dreams of heading forth to California’s “goldfields” (75).

Karl describes the two men as “not terribly clean” (82), but still remains in their company. Even after their suitcase-related argument, Karl considers Delamarche someone “with whom one could perfectly well get along” (106).

Being a con artist, Delamarche lies to Karl about pooling their wages—which the latter disagrees with but does not refute. Delamarche also cons Brunelda into buying an apartment for them. On the other hand, Robinson is a “blabbermouth” (163) and drunkard. He is more pitiful than Delamarche, as he, like Karl, is forced into servitude by Brunelda and Delamarche—but he is also manipulative. It is likely that Robinson wanted to get Karl fired so that he could be his replacement.