An Irish immigrant and Catholic monk, he lives in a housing project in the South Bronx. Having taken vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, he dedicates his life to serving local sex workers and the elderly in a nearby nursing home. He rebels against conventional religious appearances, dressing in ordinary clothes while fighting an internal battle between his faith and his growing romantic feelings.

John Andrew Corrigan's older brother by two years. After being wounded in an IRA bombing in Dublin, he relocates to New York City to stay with his sibling. He serves as a responsible, grounded counterpart to his brother, often shocked by the dirt, danger, and unconventional friendships present in the South Bronx.

A nurse working at a facility in the Bronx. Originally from Guatemala, where she lost her husband to violence, she dreams of becoming a doctor but is limited by her immigrant status and finances. She is deeply family-oriented and develops a strong mutual affection for the Irish monk, hoping he might eventually join her family.

A thirty-eight-year-old sex worker living in the South Bronx. Beneath a tough, aggressive exterior, she carries deep guilt and regret regarding her life choices and her family's circumstances. She fiercely loves her daughter and young granddaughters, willing to make extreme sacrifices to protect them from the criminal justice system.

A fifty-two-year-old wealthy woman living in a luxurious Park Avenue apartment. She hosts a morning support group for mothers who have lost sons in the Vietnam War. Though she initially appears insulated by her wealth and protective doormen, she harbors deep sorrow over her son Joshua and seeks genuine connection with others who understand her pain.

A college-educated Black woman living in the same South Bronx housing project as the local sex workers. Despite the dangerous, poverty-stricken environment, she maintains a strong sense of purpose. Having lost three sons in the Vietnam War, she attends a Park Avenue support group where she bonds with other grieving mothers.

Tillie's young daughter and a fellow sex worker in the neighborhood. As a young Black woman surrounded by poverty and drugs, she faces constant danger and systemic discrimination. She is the mother of two young girls, representing a vulnerable generation caught in the area's socio-economic struggles.

Claire's affluent husband, who serves as a judge in the local criminal courts. He maintains a cynical view of the city's inhabitants, often viewing the defendants passing through his courtroom as symptoms of a declining society. His judicial decisions are heavily influenced by his privileged background and personal prejudices.

A young artist living a bohemian lifestyle with her husband, Blaine. She uses drugs and embraces a wild, unconventional existence. Her life eventually intersects with the residents of the South Bronx following a traffic collision, prompting feelings of guilt and reflection that contrast with her husband's indifference.

One of Jazzlyn's two young daughters. Growing up in the South Bronx, her early childhood is shaped by the poverty and challenges surrounding her mother and grandmother. She represents the next generation of women in her family, facing a rapidly changing American society.

Lara's husband, an artist who shares her bohemian, drug-fueled lifestyle. He tends to evade responsibility for his actions, reacting with callous indifference when involved in a serious traffic incident.

A woman who attends Claire Soderberg's Park Avenue breakfast group. Like the other women there, she is mourning the loss of a son in the Vietnam War. She witnesses the tightrope walker at the World Trade Center, an event that triggers her trauma regarding news helicopters.

An elderly, wheelchair-bound man living in a nursing home where John Andrew Corrigan volunteers. He relies on Corrigan's van for excursions out of the facility and holds onto vivid, sensory memories of his late wife.

Jazzlyn's other young daughter and Jaslyn's sister. She is a young child living in the South Bronx, vulnerable to the turbulent environment surrounding her family.

Claire and Solomon Soderberg's son. Before his deployment to the Vietnam War, he worked as a computer analyst developing new technology. His military service and subsequent death deeply impact his family, particularly his mother.