Allen is a visionary poet observing the oppressive environment of 1950s American capitalism. Raised by a communist mother and a poet father, he brings a deeply personal and revolutionary lens to his writing. He embraces his sexual orientation as a gay man and advocates for spiritual relativism. His writing channels his manic energy and catalogs the struggles of his marginalized peers.

Carl is a friend of Ginsberg whom he meets while undergoing therapy at the Columbia Presbyterian Psychiatric Institute. He resides in Rockland, a mental hospital near New York City. He serves as a central figure in the poem, representing the brilliant minds crushed by institutionalization.

Moloch is a Canaanite false god repurposed to represent the cold, destructive force of American capitalism. Manifesting as a mental and physical prison, this entity destroys individual will and enforces rigid conformity. The entity functions as the status quo that consumes the minds and souls of the marginalized.

Naomi is Allen's Russian Jewish mother. She holds communist beliefs and encourages radical politics in her son. She struggles deeply with schizophrenia and spends years institutionalized, eventually undergoing a lobotomy.

Louis is Allen's father, residing in New Jersey. He works as a high school teacher and writes poetry, instilling a profound love for the written word in his son.

William is an author and prominent member of the Beat Generation. He shares a fluid relationship with Ginsberg that crosses boundaries of friendship and physical intimacy. He actively rebels against mainstream American ideals alongside his creative peers.

Jack is a core writer of the Beat Generation who seeks authentic expression outside conventional societal norms. He shares an intimate bond with Ginsberg and participates actively in the era's counterculture revolution.

Neal is a charismatic figure in the Beat movement who crosses paths with Ginsberg. He represents the restless energy of the era and engages in a sexual relationship with the poet.

Peter is a poet and actor. He becomes Ginsberg's life partner, providing companionship and stability as Ginsberg finds the freedom to complete his major works.

Lawrence is a poet and co-owner of the City Lights Bookstore. He acts as a publisher for the Beat writers in the Bay Area, providing a platform for their controversial works and managing the resulting legal fallout.

William Blake is a deceased English poet who manifests to Ginsberg as a symbol of universal harmony. This auditory and visual experience profoundly shapes Ginsberg's spiritual trajectory.

William is an established poet who takes on a mentoring role for Ginsberg. He advises the young writer to stop emulating others and to draw inspiration directly from everyday life.

Gregory is an author associated with the upper echelon of Beat writers. He participates in the counterculture movement alongside Ginsberg, seeking refuge against patriarchal mores.