Henry is a young German-American boy growing up in Los Angeles during the Great Depression. He experiences severe poverty and daily physical abuse from his father. This treatment instills in him a deep sense of social isolation and a reliance on fighting to prove his toughness to the world. He develops a severe case of acne that leaves him physically scarred. He turns to reading classic literature and drinking alcohol as solitary ways to cope with his harsh reality.

Henry Senior is Henry Junior's abusive father who brings his family to America with high hopes for success. He is a strict believer in the American Dream and measures human value by hard work and public appearance. The Great Depression costs him his job, leading him to project his frustrations onto his son through regular beatings with a razor strop. He insists on maintaining the facade of employment to his neighbors, which masks his deep insecurity and disappointment with life.

Katherine is Henry Junior's mother. She endures a difficult marriage to an abusive husband while living in extreme poverty. She cares for her son's well-being but lacks the power or agency to protect him from his father's physical violence. Her inability to intervene creates a wedge of resentment between her and Henry Junior. She occasionally tries to offer him small amounts of money or warnings about his father's temper when the danger peaks.

Robert is an aspiring writer at LA City College and one of the few contemporary writers whose work Henry respects. Unlike Henry, Robert possesses the drive and optimism to pursue his writing goals actively. He plans to see the world and gather material for his stories, which leads him to join the Marines.

Emily is Katherine's mother and Henry Junior's grandmother. She frequently visits the family after their move to California. She regularly clashes with Henry Senior during these visits. She relies on religious items to solve problems, such as using a large crucifix in a misguided attempt to heal her grandson's severe skin condition.

Leonard is Henry Senior's father. He is an estranged family patriarch who struggles with an alcohol addiction and lives apart from the family. He leaves his gold pocket watch and war medal to his young grandson during a rare visit.

Ben is one of Henry Senior's brothers. He suffers from an alcohol addiction and requires hospice care due to illness. He represents the self-destructive path that runs through the Chinaski family and serves as a point of negative comparison for Henry Senior.

John is Henry Senior's estranged brother. He abandons his home and becomes wanted by the police for making counterfeit dimes. He faces rumors of other crimes while leaving his impoverished wife and daughters behind to fend for themselves.

Anna is John's wife. She raises their daughters in extreme poverty after John flees from the police. She defends her husband's actions to his judgmental family and relies on donations like canned food from Katherine to survive.

David is a cross-eyed boy who becomes one of Henry's first companions in grammar school. He suffers severe bullying from older boys. His experiences show the daily violence in the neighborhood, as he is also physically abused by his own mother.

Lila Jane is a young neighbor who sparks Henry's early curiosity about sex. She approaches him in her yard to show off her underwear. She defends Henry by throwing a tin can at a rival schoolboy during a physical fight, which earns Henry's brief affection.

Edna is a woman on Henry Senior's milk delivery route. She trades sex for her milk deliveries. She sits in the Chinaski kitchen while Henry Senior refuses to choose between her and his wife. She ultimately steals his car to drive away from the domestic dispute.

Red is a boy with a prosthetic arm who attends a special school. He bonds with Henry over throwing a football. He defends their ball from local bullies by using his prosthetic arm as a physical weapon to chase them away.

Frank is a childhood friend who brings Henry to the Catholic church, though neither boy takes the religion seriously. The two boys hitchhike together to an air show and witness fatal plane crashes. He eventually moves away after a family tragedy.

Curly Wagner is a strict gym coach who frequently punishes Henry for loitering and bad behavior. He holds a deep grudge against Henry and promises to chase him for the rest of his life after the boy graduates from junior high.

Baldy is a small, thin boy who lacks hair. He introduces Henry to drinking wine from his family's basement. He remains a consistent companion to Henry throughout junior high and college, frequently finding himself targeted by bullies or dragged into uncomfortable situations by more dominant personalities.

Miss Ackerman is a sympathetic nurse who provides Henry with his first experience of compassionate medical care. Henry develops a deep infatuation with her before his father's new job disqualifies him from receiving further free treatment at the hospital.

Jimmy is an eccentric high school associate who steals beer and engages in disturbing acts, such as abusing a family dog. He frequently drags Henry into uncomfortable social situations and drinks heavily until he vomits.

Clare is Jimmy Hatcher's mother. She has a history as a sex worker and approaches situations with blunt directness. She dismisses Henry's drunken propositions but challenges him by pulling up her skirt, which prompts him to make his excuses and leave.

Igor is a Russian college student who insists on playing dangerous physical games. He forces Baldy into a game of Russian Roulette. He later shoots holes in a rowboat, which forces his companions to abandon the vessel and swim back to shore.

King Kong is a stocky college student who dominates his peers on the football field through sheer physical force. Henry challenges him on his last day of college, using aggressive fighting tactics to injure the larger man during a brutal scrimmage.

Abe is a studious boy pushed by his mother to achieve excellent grades. Henry convinces Abe to abandon his studies for a Sunday baseball game. This outing ends with Henry accidentally breaking Abe's arm in the outfield, nearly resulting in a lawsuit.

Chuck is one of Frank's friends who occasionally tolerates Henry's presence. He owns a bulldog named Barney. He and his friends corner a small white cat with the dog, looking forward to watching the dog kill the cat.

Ann is Jimmy Hatcher's girlfriend. Jimmy lets Henry and Baldy into her family's house while she is out. She returns home just in time to interrupt Jimmy's disturbing behavior, completely unaware of what he was doing moments prior.