The unnamed young Irish boy lives in Dublin with his aunt and uncle. Lacking parental guidance, he is a highly imaginative child who views his surroundings through a lens of isolation and emerging emotion. He frequently retreats into his own mind, framing his intense infatuation with a neighborhood girl in exaggerated, quasi-religious terms while struggling to understand his feelings.

An unnamed girl living on North Richmond Street who commands the attention of the local boys. To the narrator, she is an idealized figure who dominates his thoughts and inadvertently sets him on a quest when she casually mentions her desire to visit Araby's Bazaar. She represents the mystery of the older, adult world to the younger boys.

The deceased former occupant of the house where the narrator now lives. Though he passed away years ago, his presence still lingers in the musty odors and the abandoned possessions he left behind, including secular romance novels and a rusty bicycle pump. His belongings provide the boy with clues to a life outside the strict bounds of the church.

The narrator's guardian and uncle. He provides for the boy but lacks emotional attunement, often forgetting his promises. His habit of visiting the local pub occasionally interferes with the boy's plans, demonstrating a gap in reliability.

The narrator's guardian who shares the North Richmond Street home. She appears more grounded than her husband and occasionally intervenes for the young boy, ensuring he receives the money he needs for his promised excursion to the market.

A young boy who lives on North Richmond Street and plays with the narrator during the cold evenings. His primary importance to the narrator is his familial connection to his older sister, whose appearances dictate the end of their playtime.

A worker at a stall in the market. Engaged in a casual conversation with two Englishmen, she treats the young narrator with a polite detachment. Her mature, worldly demeanor heavily influences the boy's perception of himself and his romantic ideals.

Adult men visiting Araby's Bazaar. They spend their time chatting with the stall worker, representing an adult world of casual interaction that differs greatly from the intense devotion the narrator feels.

An older woman who resides near the narrator. She is part of the small, self-contained community in which the young boy grows up, representing the ordinary, limited world of his daily life.