Hulga is a 32-year-old woman with a doctorate in philosophy who lives at home due to a weak heart. Born Joy, she legally changed her name to Hulga in an act of defiance against her mother's expectations. She lost her leg in a hunting accident at age ten and walks with an artificial wooden leg. She is a vocal atheist who views the people around her with noticeable disdain.

Mrs. Hopewell is a divorced landowner who manages her farm and home with a reliance on traditional Southern expectations. She categorizes the people around her into distinct social groups, expressing a strong preference for those she deems "good country people." She struggles to understand her highly educated daughter and wishes Hulga would act more like a conventional woman.

Manley is a traveling Bible salesman who introduces himself as a poor, simple country boy from a family of nine children. He tells the Hopewells he has a heart condition and expresses a desire to become a missionary. His self-described background and apparent innocence earn him a dinner invitation from Mrs. Hopewell and the attention of her daughter.

Mrs. Freeman is the hired help on the Hopewell property. She is a constant presence in the household who enjoys discussing the details of her two daughters' lives. She asserts her own opinions confidently and subtly antagonizes Hulga by using her legally changed name in a tone that feels insulting.

Glynese is one of Mrs. Freeman's daughters. She fits the traditional expectations for young women in her community and serves as a point of pride for her mother. Her conventional lifestyle provides a direct contrast to Hulga Hopewell.

Carramae is Mrs. Freeman's 15-year-old daughter. She is already married and pregnant, fulfilling the traditional roles expected of women in her community at an early age. Her mother frequently shares details of her life with Mrs. Hopewell.