Neil is a young man in his early twenties who works at a library in Newark, New Jersey. He comes from a working-class background and lives with his Aunt Gladys. He pursues a relationship with Brenda Patimkin. He spends time at her family's suburban home where he compares his city lifestyle to their affluence. He frequently questions his place in their social circle and his true feelings for Brenda.

Brenda is a college student at Radcliffe who spends her summer vacation at her family's wealthy suburban home outside Newark. She has a strained relationship with her mother, who criticizes her spending habits and choices. She engages in a summer romance with Neil Klugman, though she frequently has to defend her feelings against his insecurities. She plays tennis regularly and is protective of her appearance.

Mrs. Patimkin is Brenda's mother and the matriarch of the affluent Patimkin family. She is highly involved in Jewish philanthropic organizations like Hadassah and holds traditional expectations for her children. She frequently clashes with Brenda, finding her ungrateful, while heavily favoring her soon-to-be daughter-in-law, Harriet. She disapproves of Neil's working-class background and lack of religious observance.

Oscar is a curious young boy attending Hebrew School. He lives with his mother following the death of his father. He frequently questions the religious teachings of his instructor, specifically focusing on the logical consistency of an all-powerful God. His refusal to back down from his inquiries leads to conflict with the adults in his life.

Rabbi Binder is an instructor at the Hebrew School who demands conformity and respect from his students. He lacks the patience for Oscar's challenging questions and responds with frustration and discipline. He strictly defends traditional theological views and attempts to break Oscar's resistance in front of the class.

Nathan is a military veteran who recently returned from combat in Europe to oversee trainees in the United States. As he transitions to noncombatant life, he begins to remember his life before the war. He struggles to maintain military discipline while occasionally shielding the young Jewish soldiers in his unit from mistreatment.

Sheldon is a young military trainee under the command of Nathan Marx. He uses his Jewish identity to request special accommodations, such as attending services to avoid cleaning duties and complaining about the mess hall food. He frequently lies and manipulates the rules under the guise of looking out for his friends, seeking to secure a favorable deployment.

Lou is the aging owner of Epstein Paper Bag, struggling with the realization that he has no heir for his business. He feels disconnected from his wife and daughter, mourning the loss of his youth and his estranged relationship with his brother. His dissatisfaction with his domestic life leads him to pursue a romantic relationship with a neighborhood widow.

Goldie is Lou's wife. She manages their home and endures the growing emotional distance in their marriage. She is quick to anger when she discovers Lou's infidelity, immediately demanding a divorce and banishing him from their bedroom, though she remains highly protective of him during medical emergencies.

The unnamed narrator is a high school freshman who observes and befriends two older juvenile convicts placed in his school. He is highly impressionable, looking up to these older boys and struggling to understand their criminal pasts. His experiences with them shape his adult perspective on justice and unfair judgment.

Albie is a seventeen-year-old high school freshman and former inmate at Jamesburg Reformatory. He attempts to reform his behavior at a new school but struggles with painful memories of his past. He alternates between moments of unexpected joy, such as leading the class in song, and returning to defensive, delinquent behavior.

Eli is a lawyer acting on behalf of the Jewish residents of Woodenton, New York. He is an expectant father who feels intense pressure to maintain the town's social balance by removing a group of orthodox immigrants. He becomes increasingly fascinated and disturbed by the yeshivah's residents, experiencing a severe crisis of identity regarding his own modern lifestyle.

Leo is the headmaster of a newly established yeshivah in Woodenton and a survivor of the Holocaust. He fiercely protects his students and his assistant, refusing to force them to abandon their traditional religious clothing. He acts as an unyielding defender of their right to exist openly in their new community.

Mr. Patimkin is Brenda's father and the owner of the successful Patimkin Kitchen and Bathroom Sinks. He provides his family with a life of suburban luxury, contrasting sharply with his own earlier struggles. He is generally kind to his children and even hints that Neil could join the family business if he marries Brenda.

Ron is Brenda's older brother, a former collegiate athlete who is transitioning into adult life. He works at his father's business, though his father notes he is not particularly skilled at it. He spends his time listening to a commemorative record of his Ohio State University graduation and prepares for his upcoming Labor Day wedding to Harriet.

Julie is Brenda's younger sister. She frequently plays sports in their large backyard and enjoys the benefits of her family's wealth. She plays a competitive game of ping-pong with Neil, getting angry when he refuses to let her win.

Harriet is Ron Patimkin's fiancée. She comes from a wealthy family and is immediately embraced by Mrs. Patimkin, who treats her with the maternal affection she denies her own daughter. Her seamless integration into the family stands in sharp contrast to Neil's awkward position.

Aunt Gladys is Neil's relative, with whom he lives in Newark. She provides a working-class contrast to the wealthy Patimkin household, firmly rooting Neil in his city life.

Carlota is the maid for the Patimkin family. Her presence in the household highlights the immense wealth gap between Neil and the Patimkins, making him feel uncomfortable and out of place.

This young Black boy visits the Newark library daily to marvel at a book of Gauguin paintings. He refuses to check the book out, fearing his family will ruin it. Neil takes an interest in him, actively protecting him from the judgmental attitudes of the other library staff.

Mrs. Freedman is Oscar's mother. She raises Oscar alone after the death of her husband and strictly observes the Sabbath, growing highly emotional during the candle-lighting ritual. She resorts to physical discipline when she learns Oscar is causing trouble with the rabbi.

Itzie is Oscar's classmate and friend. He encourages Oscar's rebellion against Rabbi Binder, finding the conflict highly entertaining. He mocks the rabbi behind his back and fails to understand the serious emotional stakes of Oscar's protest.

Yakov is the school's quiet, observant custodian. He views the world strictly through the lens of whether events are good or bad for the Jewish community. He worries that Oscar's highly visible protest will draw negative attention to the synagogue.

Captain Barrett is Nathan Marx's superior officer at Camp Crowder. He prioritizes military uniformity over individual or religious needs. He views accommodations for religious traditions as unnecessary trouble and uses Nathan's combat record to shame other Jewish soldiers into abandoning their dietary restrictions.

Fishbein is a Jewish military trainee who associates with Sheldon Grossbart. He largely follows Sheldon's lead in seeking religious accommodations and passes to leave the base.

Halpern is a sensitive Jewish trainee at Camp Crowder. Sheldon often uses Halpern's emotional fragility as an excuse to demand special treatment from Nathan Marx.

Shulman works in the military classification and assignment office. He processes the deployment orders for the trainees, making him a valuable connection for anyone trying to avoid overseas combat.

Sheila is Lou and Goldie's daughter. She dates a man named Marvin and clashes with her father over his perceived old-fashioned views. She lacks interest in taking over the family business.

Sol is Lou's estranged brother. They once ran Epstein Paper Bag together, but business disagreements led Sol to leave the company, permanently damaging their relationship.

Michael is Sol's son and Lou's nephew. He stays with the Epsteins while stationed at a nearby military base. He dates a local neighborhood girl, inadvertently setting off a chain of events that exposes the fractures in Lou's marriage.

Ida is a neighborhood widow whose husband recently died of cancer. Lou pursues a romantic relationship with her, finding a temporary escape from his domestic unhappiness.

Marvin is Sheila Epstein's boyfriend. He occasionally runs errands for the family but faces quiet resentment from Lou, who struggles to even remember his correct name.

Duke is an ex-convict student who serves as a delinquent counterpart to Albie. He shows little interest in reforming his behavior and prefers to practice fighting in the schoolyard.

Mr. Russo is the occupations class teacher. He rigidly believes in standardized career tests and attempts to push his students toward those results, inadvertently triggering Albie's traumatic memories of the courthouse.

This unnamed man works as an assistant at the yeshivah, running errands in town. He survived the Holocaust, enduring forced sterilization and the loss of his entire family and community. His traditional black suit and hat are his only possessions, serving as a physical reminder of his past and a source of anxiety for the modern townspeople.

Miriam is Eli's pregnant wife. She worries about his mental health, encouraging him to seek therapy to handle the stress of the yeshivah case. She is supportive but struggles to understand Eli's growing obsession with the yeshivah immigrants and his eventual radical change in behavior.

Ted is the spokesperson for the Woodenton Jewish community. He views the yeshivah residents as dangerous fanatics and pressures Eli to force them out of town to maintain the community's quiet, assimilated lifestyle.