The speaker is an individual seeking peace and quiet in their own home, but they find themselves frequently frustrated by neighborhood noise. Acknowledging their own capacity for anger, they deliberately do not keep a firearm in the house to prevent rash actions during moments of high stress. Highly imaginative, the speaker relies on classical music and mental reframing to cope with external circumstances they cannot control.

An animal left alone on a regular basis, reacting to its isolation with a high, rhythmic, and continual bark. While initially presented as a nuisance that operates almost like a machine switched on by its owners, the dog becomes the center of a vivid fantasy. In this imagination, the dog sits confidently in the oboe section of a symphony orchestra, delivering a famous solo.

People living near the speaker who frequently leave their house. They appear somewhat inattentive to the distress of their pet, routinely leaving the animal behind to bark loudly until their return. Their absence creates the primary conflict of the narrative.

An imagined musical leader who directs the symphony the speaker listens to. Rather than hushing the dog's disruption, the conductor uses his baton to entreat and encourage the animal during its unusual solo, acting as a messenger between the composer's vision and the performers.

The historical composer whose music the speaker uses to create a barrier against the neighborhood noise. In the context of the poem's fantasy, he is viewed as an innovative genius who deliberately leaves space in his compositions for unexpected additions, such as a barking dog.