Bit is the first child born in the Arcadia commune, originally named Ridley Sorrel Stone. Nicknamed for his small stature, he is a sensitive and highly observant boy who relies heavily on his parents for emotional grounding. He experiences the harsh realities of communal poverty firsthand, later using a discovered book of fairy tales to build his understanding of the isolated world around him.

Hannah is an original member of the Arcadia commune and Bit's mother. She struggles deeply with the austere lifestyle, extreme poverty, and personal grief. These hardships lead to bouts of severe depression that put her at odds with Arcadia's strict expectations for constant communal labor, though she remains fiercely devoted to her immediate family.

Abe is Bit's father and a highly dedicated member of Arcadia. Resourceful and hardworking, he takes the initiative to renovate a dilapidated mansion on the property to provide reliable shelter for the community. His natural leadership and practical skills sometimes put him at ideological odds with the commune's founder.

Helle is Handy and Astrid's daughter, raised under the commune's philosophy of radical autonomy. Growing up with minimal adult guidance or traditional boundaries, she lives in a chaotic environment where children are largely left to govern themselves. This upbringing makes her highly independent but emotionally vulnerable.

Handy is a charismatic musician and the unofficial leader of Arcadia. He originally brought the commune members together with his music and his vision of a utopian society free from conventional rules. While he preaches equality and free love, he maintains a subtle hierarchy, avoiding manual labor and prioritizing his own pleasure over the practical needs of the group.

Grete is Bit's daughter, representing the next generation growing up in a world drastically different from the isolated Arcadia of Bit's youth. She is a typical, temperamental teenager attempting to find her identity and test boundaries in a rapidly changing external environment.

Astrid is Handy's main wife and the primary midwife for Arcadia, famously delivering Bit on the road to the commune. She is deeply committed to Arcadia's principles, prioritizing her roles within the larger community over hands-on parenting for her own biological children.

Titus is a Vietnam War veteran whose family originally owned the land where Arcadia is settled. Seeking a peaceful escape from the atrocities of his past, he signed the property over to Handy. He maintains a gruff exterior but shows a soft spot for Bit and defends Hannah during harsh community critiques.

Jincy is a young girl growing up in Arcadia and Bit's closest childhood friend. She serves as a primary source of commune gossip for Bit, frequently sharing rumors about adult conflicts and new developments within the isolated community.

Verda is a non-Arcadian woman who lives a solitary life in a cabin deep in the woods near the commune. She offers Bit a rare, quiet glimpse into a life entirely removed from the chaotic communal structure of Arcadia.

Ellis is a local doctor and former member of the nearby Amish community. She provides essential medical care to those in the rural region and maintains a deep appreciation for the area's natural isolation.

Regina is an Arcadian who works in the bakery and strictly adheres to the community's rules. She firmly believes that personal struggles must be set aside for the collective good, leading her to openly criticize Hannah's inability to work.

Ike is one of Handy and Astrid's sons, growing up in the autonomous environment of the children's dormitories. He occasionally questions his father's democratic ideals as he gets older.

Erik is one of Handy and Astrid's sons. Like his siblings, he is raised to be entirely independent within the commune's loose, anti-authoritarian structure.

Leif is Handy and Astrid's oldest son. He is raised in the chaotic, autonomous environment of Arcadia's children, expected to govern himself from an early age.

Lila is Handy's second wife. She fully participates in the commune's ethos of free love and non-traditional family structures, adapting to the collective lifestyle.

Ollie is an Arcadian who works in the bakery alongside Regina and Hannah, participating in the daily labor required to keep the isolated community fed.

Caroline is Jincy's mother. She struggles deeply with the communal lifestyle and the frequent interpersonal conflicts that arise within the tight-knit group.