Raif Efendi is a quiet, unassuming translator in 1940s Ankara who endures constant mistreatment from his colleagues and family. Though he appears passive and unremarkable to the outside world, a hidden notebook reveals a passionate past in 1920s Weimar Berlin. He harbors a sensitive and artistic nature that conflicts with the materialistic society surrounding him.

Maria is a fiercely independent German artist living in 1920s Berlin. She supports herself and her mother by singing and playing violin in a cabaret called the Atlantic. Skeptical of traditional gender roles and wary of men, she explicitly rejects patriarchal expectations and values her autonomy. She sets strict, unconventional terms for her friendship with Raif.

The unnamed narrator is a young, cynical man who takes a low-paying job as a liaison clerk. He initially views his office mate, Raif, as a lifeless nonentity. However, after discovering Raif's hidden artistic talent, he becomes fascinated by the older man's inner life and seeks to understand the depth concealed beneath Raif's passive exterior.

Hamdi is a successful assistant director at a large firm in Ankara and a former classmate of the narrator. He represents the pragmatic, materialistic values of modern society. He frequently exercises petty authority over his subordinates, utilizing his position to belittle those he views as weaker or less ambitious.

Mihriye Hanım is Raif Efendi's wife. She shares a house with him in Ankara but maintains a cold, emotionally barren relationship with her husband. She and her extended family rely entirely on Raif's meager salary while dismissing him as a failure and an inconvenience.

Necla is one of Raif Efendi's daughters. She lives in the crowded family home in Ankara, where she contributes to the oppressive, unfeeling atmosphere. Like the rest of the family, she benefits from Raif's income without making any effort to understand his inner life.

Nurten is Raif Efendi's other daughter. She resides in the family's home in Ankara, participating in the domestic dynamic that alienates and marginalizes her father. She views him purely through his function as a financial provider.

Nurettin Bey is the husband of Ferhunde and Raif Efendi's brother-in-law. He is a pompous bureaucrat who puts on airs of extreme importance. Despite projecting authority, he financially relies on Raif's labor while simultaneously treating him with utter disrespect.

Ferhunde is Raif Efendi's sister-in-law and the wife of Nurettin Bey. She lives in Raif's crowded household in Ankara, contributing to the domestic environment that suffocates him. She freely spends the money Raif earns while showing him zero gratitude or affection.

Vedat is one of Raif Efendi's brothers-in-law. He is part of the extended family structure that lives off Raif's meager salary. He participates in the collective mistreatment of Raif, viewing him as an incompetent failure.

Cihat is another of Raif Efendi's brothers-in-law. Living in the bustling family home in Ankara, he is part of the antagonistic domestic unit that drains Raif's resources. He shows no interest in understanding the quiet man who supports his living situation.

Frau Döppke is a resident at the Berlin pension during Raif's youth. She is a lonely widow who makes aggressive and unwanted romantic advances toward the shy Raif, standing in sharp contrast to the deeper, intellectual connection he seeks.

Raif Efendi's father is a practical man who resides in Turkey. Hoping to give his introverted son a useful trade, he sends a young Raif to Berlin after World War I to study the soap-making business, completely unaware that his son will ignore these instructions to pursue art.

Maria Puder's mother lives in Europe and relies entirely on her daughter's income. Maria works at the Atlantic cabaret specifically to support her, as her earnings from painting are insufficient to provide for them both.