The Speaker is a Black American veteran who served in the Vietnam War. He visits the memorial and struggles to contain his emotions while looking at the names etched in the stone. His mind fluctuates between the physical space of the wall and vivid memories of his time in combat. He attempts to maintain a stoic exterior to cope with his internal trauma.

Andrew Johnson is a fallen soldier whose name is engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. He hails from the speaker's hometown, creating a direct link to the speaker's past before the military. His presence on the wall instantly triggers the speaker's memory of a booby trap explosion.

The Woman is a civilian visitor to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. In the optical illusion created by the monument's reflective surface, her everyday actions blend with the engraved names of the dead. She introduces a peaceful presence that contrasts sharply with the speaker's violent combat memories.

The Boy is a young child visiting the memorial with a caregiver. His presence is captured in the reflective surface of the wall, momentarily creating an illusion for the speaker that the woman is erasing names. He brings a sense of youth to the solemn environment of the monument.

The White Veteran is a fellow survivor of the Vietnam War visiting the memorial. The reflective nature of the monument creates a visual illusion where his missing right arm appears to be lost inside the stone itself. He physically manifests the enduring physical wounds of combat.