It's a Wonderful Life: Character Breakdown

George Bailey
Honest, fun loving, family man who's constant life struggles conflict with his ability to stay in control of his own sanity, resulting in him attempting to take his own life. Taking on the same personality traits as his dedicated father, George stays very loyal to his bank members, especially when being suffocated by the effects of the ''Great Depression. ''Never being able to pursue his dreams of attending college and traveling the world, George is stuck in Bedford Fall, a town in upstate New York, running the family bank, while his kid brother is following George's ideal dreams of going to college, becoming a success, and doing everything that George could never do.

Guardian Angel [AKA: Clarence Odbody]
In the beginning of the movie, Clarence Odbody is an angel who had not received his wings yet, and must complete a task to earn them. He is given the task of saving Georgia Bailey's life from taking his own life and showing him what life would be like if he were never born, and how it would effect all of his loved ones and community members lives as well. Portrayed as George's "Guardian Angel", Clarence is understanding, thoughtful, but also a touch of tough love when dealing with George and eventually is successful in expressing the problems that the city would be facing if [George] never existed. With the end of the movie concluding with George realizing how much he would be missing out in life and Clarence granting him a second chance on earth to be the best man he can be, Clarence finally receives his wings and is officially a "winged angel".