Sara is the youngest daughter in a Polish Jewish immigrant family living in New York City. She works peddling herring on the street to help pay the rent for their cramped apartment. She closely observes the financial struggles of her mother and sisters under her father's strict rules. These observations push her to formulate her own ideas about independence, personal boundaries, and education.

Reb is the patriarchal head of the Smolinsky family. He refuses to work for wages, preferring to spend his days studying the Torah in their Hester Street apartment. He views himself as a holy man superior to those around him and demands complete obedience from his household. He uses religious texts to justify his absolute authority over the family finances and his daughters' marital choices.

Shenah is the hardworking mother of the Smolinsky family. She constantly worries about rent and survival, working tirelessly to feed her family while her husband studies. She often internalizes his traditional views about gender and her own worth. Despite her difficult circumstances and extreme poverty, she deeply loves her children and tries to hold the family together.

Mashah is Sara's older sister, noted for her striking physical beauty and initial vanity. She works to help support the family but insists on keeping some of her earnings to buy neat clothes and maintain her appearance. She desires romance and beauty to escape the grime of her everyday environment.

Bessie is the oldest Smolinsky sister and the primary wage earner for the family. Her parents refer to her as the "burden-bearer" because she gives all her earnings to support them, keeping nothing for herself. She longs for a life of her own but feels trapped by her financial obligations to her parents.

Fania is one of Sara's older sisters who works constantly to support the family. She attracts the attention of a local poet but faces strict oversight from her father regarding whom she is allowed to see. She feels desperate to escape the cramped, tense atmosphere of her family's apartment.

Berel is a young man who wishes to marry Bessie Smolinsky. He clashes heavily with Reb Smolinsky when Reb demands financial compensation for the loss of Bessie's wages, refusing to tolerate the older man's exploitative demands.

Jacob is a musician from a relatively wealthy family who falls in love with Mashah. He faces harsh opposition from his own father regarding their class differences, as well as from Reb Smolinsky, who strongly objects to Jacob playing music on the Sabbath.

Morris is a young, impoverished poet who courts Fania Smolinsky. His expressive and vivid writing captures the attention of the Smolinsky sisters, though Reb Smolinsky completely disapproves of him due to his lack of wealth.

Moe is a man introduced by Reb Smolinsky as a wealthy diamond dealer. He courts Mashah with expensive gifts and represents Reb's ideal of a financially successful match, though his outward appearance masks a harsh demeanor.

Abe is a visiting businessman who Reb Smolinsky selects as a husband for Fania. He represents a chance for Fania to move away from Hester Street, though his lifestyle involves heavy gambling and strict demands regarding his partner's appearance.

Zalmon is a local fish-peddler with six children who desperately needs a new wife to help run his chaotic household. He agrees to Reb Smolinsky's proposal that he marry Bessie, even paying Reb a fee for arranging the match.

Benny is Zalmon's youngest son. He is a sick, vulnerable child whose presence and need for care draw Bessie's natural sympathies when she finds him ill with a fever.

The landlady manages the Hester Street building where the Smolinskys live. She has zero tolerance for late payments and violently interrupts Reb's prayers when demanding her money, leading to a physical and legal confrontation.

Max is a wealthy businessman from Los Angeles who takes a romantic interest in Sara. He is charming and proud of his self-made success in America, viewing his wealth as a way to provide for a wife.

Mr. Edman is a dedicated psychology professor who challenges his students to think critically about how strong emotions inhibit rational thought. He maintains strict professional boundaries with his students, even when they seek extra academic engagement.

Hugo is the principal of the school where Sara works. Like Sara, he is a Polish Jewish immigrant who deeply understands the challenge of balancing professional aspirations with a traditional background.

Mrs. Feinstein is a member of the Hester Street community. She demands financial support and a high standard of living, wearing fine clothes that contrast sharply with the self-sacrificing nature of other neighborhood women.