John Arable

John Arable is a Human farmer who lives with his wife Nancy and their two children -- Avery, his elder son, and Fern, his younger, impressionable daughter -- on their farm in the village of Promise Junction. He moved his family here from his home of Opaik about eight years ago when he heard about how cheap it was to buy land in the village.

He and his wife are not happy about Fern's spending so much time with their youthful farmhand, Lenin, because his teaching her about the ways of nature while encouraging her ability to communicate with animals may put her at risk.