Aksenty is a 42-year-old titular councilor holding a minor civil servant position in Saint Petersburg. His primary duties involve sharpening quills for his director, a menial job that severely conflicts with his high opinion of himself. He spends much of his time daydreaming or lying in bed rather than engaging in real social interactions. Driven by insecurity about his low social rank, he heavily relies on his diary to vent his frustrations and construct elaborate fantasies.

Sophie is the young, attractive daughter of a high-ranking departmental director. She embodies the traits expected of a 19th-century aristocratic woman, spending her time sewing, attending balls, and following social conventions. Though she presents a modest and well-mannered exterior, she possesses an observant nature and occasionally uses her social standing to mock those beneath her station.

The director is a wealthy, high-ranking aristocrat who heads the government department where Poprishchin works. He remains indifferent to his lower-level clerks, typically restricting his interactions with them to brief comments about the weather. He expects unquestioning deference and occupies his mind with his own social advancements, such as receiving official ribbons and honors.

Madgie is a pampered dog belonging to the departmental director's household. She exhibits the refined snobbery of the Russian nobility, sprinkling French phrases into her letters and eating fine foods. She views human ambitions with a mixture of confusion and canine pragmatism, finding official honors tasteless and human suitors physically unappealing.

Fidèle is a dog living in the large Zverkov House apartment building in Saint Petersburg. She serves as the eager recipient of Madgie's gossipy letters regarding the director's household affairs. She defends her home when an intruder arrives to investigate her dog bed.

The section head is Poprishchin's direct superior in the civil administration. He represents the harsh reality of the bureaucratic hierarchy, brutally reminding his clerk of his low rank, advanced age, and poor social prospects. He shows zero patience for workplace daydreaming or eccentric behavior.

The Kammerjunker is a young, handsome officer who manages the royal household. Holding a rank fifth in the administrative table, he represents the type of successful, upwardly mobile aristocrat that Poprishchin deeply envies. He provides an entirely socially acceptable match for a young noblewoman.

Mavra is an individual in Poprishchin's daily life who observes his domestic activities. She provides a grounded, external reaction to his deteriorating state of mind and erratic behavior outside the formal government office.

This unnamed girl lives in the Zverkov House and owns the dog Fidèle. She experiences sudden alarm when a strange government clerk forces his way into her apartment to investigate her dog's bed, leaving her highly distressed.