A school-aged boy who serves as the unnamed protagonist of the first three stories. He is impulsive and deeply eager to prove himself to adults and peers alike. Raised by his aunt and uncle, he faces the confusing expectations of the adult world and experiences the first stirrings of intellectual pride and romantic infatuation.

A young department store worker facing a massive life choice. Following her mother's death, Eveline cares for two children and manages the household while enduring her father's financial control and volatile temper. She desires escape and respect, viewing a relationship with a sailor as her primary exit route from an unfulfilling life.

A young, relatively privileged Irishman whose father achieved financial success through a chain of butcher shops. Jimmy exists in a bubble of luxury but lacks the inherent ease of his more affluent, international companions. He invests heavily in a motor business to keep pace with his sophisticated social circle.

An independent businesswoman and shrewd matriarch who runs a boarding house with calculated precision. The daughter of a butcher, she survived an abusive marriage and learned to rely entirely on her own resourcefulness. She leverages societal expectations, using gender dynamics to secure advantageous outcomes for her family.

A mild-mannered office worker who feels cheated out of his desired life. He considers himself a failed poet held back by fear and self-doubt. As he prepares to reunite with a more successful acquaintance, he attempts to project worldly sophistication to hide his insecurities.

A frustrated, working-class office employee who relies heavily on alcohol to cope with his stifling environment. He feels entirely powerless at his job and constantly seeks ways to assert dominance. When his attempts to project authority fail, he often turns to anger and aggression.

An older, slight woman who works in a laundry facility. Unusually content with her modest circumstances, she displays a tranquil and unobtrusive nature. She previously served as a nanny and remains highly self-aware while others project their anxieties onto her quiet life.

A routine-driven bachelor who works at a bank. He actively avoids human connection, detests physical or mental disorder, and views his hometown with disdain. His solitary existence shifts when he begins speaking with a married woman at a symphony concert, though he prefers intellectual distance over physical closeness.

A capable, bullish, and fiercely independent woman accustomed to maintaining total control over her circumstances. Coming from a wealthy background, she uses her family's status and her daughter's musical talent to direct Dublin's social events, though her inability to compromise strains her relationships.

A writer who feels intellectually elevated above his peers while simultaneously craving their validation. He writes for a publication viewed by some as anti-nationalist, causing tension regarding his Irish identity. He depends heavily on a sense of romantic dominance, remaining completely unaware of his wife's rich inner history.

An arrogant, talkative young man who dominates conversations and views relationships through a strictly transactional lens. He is self-assured in his pursuit of women, expecting to extract material value from his romantic encounters.

A sycophantic listener who ingratiates himself with others to avoid his own loneliness. As he ages, he feels a creeping sense of poverty in both spirit and purse, relying heavily on his friend's exploits for vicarious excitement.

An older man in physical and social decline whose heavy drinking leads to a severe injury. He is highly passive, finding himself physically and spiritually lifted up by the intervention of his concerned friends who push him toward a religious retreat.

Gabriel's wife, a woman from Galway whose rich inner life remains largely hidden from her husband. A song performed at a holiday party triggers a sudden flood of memories about a passionate and tragic love from her youth.

A deceased local clergyman who mentored the young narrator, teaching him Latin and sharing stories. His declining mental health and potential corruption cast a long shadow over the boy's childhood memories.

A sailor with a home in Buenos Aires who offers Eveline a chance to escape her difficult life. He enjoys a whirlwind romance with her, charming her with stories and songs, though their relationship faces staunch opposition from her father.

An employee of a Catholic merchant who finds himself entangled in an affair with his landlady's daughter. He is terrified of scandal and deeply constrained by social expectations, fearing the immediate loss of his job if his indiscretions become public.

Mrs. Mooney's nineteen-year-old daughter. She is openly flirtatious and relies entirely on her mother's shrewdness to navigate the consequences of her romantic entanglements.

An old acquaintance of Little Chandler who left Ireland years ago and achieved a measure of success abroad. He is highly personable and possesses a star quality, though his ascent appears rooted in luck, personal charm, and potentially immoral behavior.

A middle-aged married woman who forms a deep, intellectual bond with a solitary bachelor. She battles her own loneliness, occasionally relying on alcohol, and desires a closer physical and emotional connection than her companion is willing to offer.

A proud Irish nationalist and highly direct, open-hearted woman. She sharply challenges Gabriel's political loyalties and continental pretensions, highlighting the deep cultural divides among the partygoers.

Mrs. Kearney's daughter, a talented pianist enlisted to play at a series of concerts. Her promising musical career becomes a battleground for her mother's strict demands for respect and payment.

A demanding, oppressive boss who frequently exercises his authority over his clerks. He may be having an affair with a client and deeply resents any challenge to his workplace dominance.

An event organizer trying to manage a struggling series of musical performances. He finds himself locked in a bitter contractual dispute with the fiercely uncompromising Mrs. Kearney.