Désirée is the adopted daughter of the wealthy Valmondé family, who discovered her abandoned at their plantation gates as a toddler. She grows into a gentle, affectionate, and beautiful young woman with long, silky brown hair. Her mysterious, unknown origins leave her socially vulnerable in the rigid antebellum society of Louisiana. She is completely devoted to her new husband and highly sensitive to his changing moods.

Armand is the wealthy, aristocratic owner of the L'Abri plantation. He spent his early childhood in France before relocating to Louisiana at age eight following his mother's death. He possesses a dark, handsome face and an imperious, exacting nature. He rules his plantation with cruelty and strictness, offering a sharp contrast to his late father's lenient management style.

Madame Valmondé is the portly, affectionate matriarch of the Valmondé family. Unable to have biological children, she viewed the discovery of the orphaned Désirée as a direct gift from God. She is a devout Catholic who offers a clear contrast to the oppressive, gloomy atmosphere of L'Abri through her steadfast warmth and protective instincts.

Zandrine is a mixed-race woman enslaved at the Aubigny plantation. She wears a turban and is described as moving with a queenlike, majestic bearing. As the infant's nursemaid, she is a silent but highly observant presence in the household, fully aware of the racial and social tensions developing around the child.

La Blanche is a mixed-race enslaved woman living on the Aubigny plantation. Her name, which translates to "the white" in French, points to her light skin. Though she has no spoken dialogue, her physical appearance and her children serve as a critical point of comparison within the household's rigid racial hierarchy.

The firstborn child of Désirée and Armand Aubigny. Initially celebrated as a male heir who softens his father's harsh temper, the infant becomes the center of the story's conflict. As the baby grows over his first three months, his physical appearance slowly changes, bringing an inexplicable menace to the peace of the household.

Armand's late father, who spent his early married years living in France with his wife. He relocated to the United States only after her death, bringing young Armand with him. He is remembered by the neighbors as an easy-going and indulgent man, particularly regarding his lenient treatment of the enslaved people on his plantation.

Désirée's adoptive father and the patriarch of the Valmondé estate. He is a practical man who approaches his daughter's rapid engagement to Armand with caution, insisting that her unknown background be considered carefully before the union takes place.

The late wife of Monsieur Aubigny and mother to Armand. She lived her entire married life in France, never traveling to the United States with her husband and son. Her early death prompted her husband to relocate eight-year-old Armand to the Aubigny estate in Louisiana.

One of La Blanche's children who lives in enslavement at L'Abri. He serves the household by fanning the infant with peacock feathers to keep him cool. His physical proximity to Désirée's baby sparks the story's rising tension regarding visual classification and race.