<P> Now airborne, the peach crosses the Atlantic Ocean . At one incident, the Centipede entertains the others with ribald dirges to Sponge and Spiker, but in his excitement, he falls into the ocean and is rescued by James . That night, thousands of feet in the air, the giant peach floats through mountain - like, moonlit clouds, where the bugs and James discover the ghostly "Cloud - Men", who control the weather . As the Cloud - Men form hailstones to throw down to the world below, the Centipede insults them, and an army of Cloud - Men pelt the giant peach with hail . They escape and then encounter a rainbow which they smash through . One Cloud - Man pours a tin of "rainbow paint" onto the Centipede, briefly turning him into a statue before he is freed by a Cloud - Man who pours water on him . One Cloud - Man almost boards the peach by climbing down the silken strings tied to the stem, which the Centipede severs to release him . Thereafter, James and the bugs approach New York City; whereupon the military, police, fire department, and rescue services are all called, and people flee to air raid shelters and subway stations, believing the city is about to be destroyed . </P> <P> A huge passenger jet flies past the giant peach and severs the silken strings connecting the seagulls to the peach, which is then impaled upon the tip of the Empire State Building . The people on the 86th floor at first believe the inhabitants of the giant peach to be monsters or extraterrestrials; but when James appears and explains his story, the people hail James and his friends as heroes . The remains of the giant peach are brought down to the streets, where it is consumed by the town's children, and its seed is established as a mansion in Central Park, where James lives, while his friends establish careers in the human world . In conclusion, James is said to have written the preceding story . </P> <Ul> <Li> James Henry Trotter--The eight - year - old protagonist of the book, who wants nothing more than to have friends and be happy . Though something of a dreamer, James is clever, kind - hearted, innocent, and ever - resourceful throughout his adventure in the giant peach, and his intuitive plans save his friends' lives on each occasion . </Li> <Li> The Old Man--A friendly yet mysterious individual, who initiates James' adventure . In the 1980 re-printing of the book, with illustrations by Nancy Ekholm Burkert, he can be seen in the final illustration, amongst the New York City crowd . </Li> <Li> Aunt Spiker--A dominating, cruel, malicious, and thoroughly repulsive woman; possibly the older of James' aunts . Spiker is described as tall and thin--almost emaciated--with steel glasses, and her speech produces spit whenever she gets angry or excited . James never hears her or her sister Sponge laugh, and they never call him by his name, but always refer to him as insults such as "you nasty little beast" or "you miserable creature". She seems to be the smarter of the aunts . She is destroyed by the giant peach in its escape . It is unknown if she and her sister Sponge are the sisters of James's mother or father, or (since the illustrations depict them as elderly) his great - aunts . </Li> <Li> Aunt Sponge--Spiker's sister: a greedy, selfish, and morbidly obese woman, and equally as cruel and repulsive as Spiker, but seems to be less smart, and destroyed concurrently . </Li> <Li> The Centipede--A male centipede, depicted as a boisterous rascal with a good heart, and perhaps James' closest friend in the peach . He is generally optimistic and even brave, but outspoken and rash . His sources of pride are his "100 legs", even though he has only 42, and his ancestral status of garden pest . He often asks for help with putting on his many boots, or taking them off, or shining them . In the last chapter of the book, it is revealed that he becomes Vice-President - in - Charge - of - Sales of a high - class firm of boot and shoe manufacturers . </Li> <Li> The Earthworm--A male earthworm who often quarrels with the Centipede, and is frequently the most pessimistic of the protagonists, though on amicable terms with nearly all . In New York City, he becomes the mascot of a skin - cream company . </Li> <Li> The Old Green Grasshopper--A male grasshopper, who (as the eldest) assumes an almost paternal role to James and the others . He is an accomplished musician; wherefore, he ultimately becomes a member of the New York Symphony Orchestra where his playing is greatly admired . </Li> <Li> The Ladybug--A kind, motherly female ladybug who takes care of James . In the last chapter of the book, it is revealed that the Ladybug "married the head of the New York City Fire Department and lived happily ever after". </Li> <Li> Miss Spider--A good - natured female spider who takes care of James . Generally friendly and decent in manner, but described by Dahl as having "a large, black and murderous - looking head, which to a stranger was probably the most terrifying of all". She has particular resentment toward Sponge, who caused the deaths of Miss Spider's father and grandmother . On the journey, Miss Spider makes hammocks for the others to sleep; and in the final chapter, becomes a tightrope manufacturer . </Li> <Li> The Glowworm--A female glowworm, who quietly hangs from the ceiling at the center of the giant peach and provides lighting for the interior . After the adventure, she illuminates the Statue of Liberty's torch . </Li> <Li> The Silkworm--A female Silkworm, who assists Miss Spider in the production of thread, both before and after the adventure . She is never seen to speak and is also the only one of James' travelling companions not to appear in the film adaptation . </Li> </Ul> <Li> James Henry Trotter--The eight - year - old protagonist of the book, who wants nothing more than to have friends and be happy . Though something of a dreamer, James is clever, kind - hearted, innocent, and ever - resourceful throughout his adventure in the giant peach, and his intuitive plans save his friends' lives on each occasion . </Li>

True story of james and the giant peach