The youngest Gant child, Eugene is highly intellectual, imaginative, and deeply observant. He feels entirely alienated from his chaotic, brawling family and searches for greater meaning by retreating into literature and fantasy. Through his admittance to the Altamont Fitting School, he begins to find the academic and spiritual nurturing he lacks at home, putting him on a path toward independence.

The patriarchal figure of the Gant family, working as a stonecutter in Altamont. He is a highly dramatic man haunted by unfulfilled artistic ambitions and a deep fear of his own mortality. He frequently falls into violent, destructive cycles of alcoholism, distancing himself from his ambitious wife and creating chaos in the family home.

The matriarch of the Gant family. She is fiercely ambitious, notoriously stingy, and obsessed with acquiring real estate to secure her financial independence. She eventually purchases and runs Dixieland, a boardinghouse, separating her daily operations from her husband and focusing heavily on commerce rather than maternal affection.

The fiercely independent but deeply unhappy older brother of Eugene. Born a twin, he lives a nomadic existence in Altamont, working at the local newspaper and struggling with weak lungs. He acts as a voice of reason for Eugene, continuously encouraging his younger brother to seek his own path outside the family's turbulent dynamics.

The highly capable but volatile daughter of the Gant family. She shares her mother's need for control but aligns herself fiercely with her father. Operating as Oliver's primary caretaker, she manages his drunken episodes with authority and uses her compulsive domestic service to cope with her own internal frustrations.

A charismatic, outgoing son of the Gant family who thrives on social interaction and external validation. He works enthusiastically as a newsboy and later studies electrical engineering. He stands as a stark contrast to his introverted brothers, effortlessly winning the affection of those around him with his generous spirit.

The eldest Gant child, who heavily inherits his father's destructive, alcoholic tendencies. He lives a transient life, frequently forging checks and failing at various endeavors. He represents the cyclical curse of corruption within the family, refusing to reform despite numerous opportunities and handouts from his mother.

The principal of the Altamont Fitting School, often mocked behind his back by students as "Creeping Jesus." He offers Eugene a classical education after being impressed by his essay, effectively providing the boy an alternative environment that nurtures his academic potential.

The wife of John Dorsey Leonard and a highly influential teacher at the Altamont Fitting School. She becomes a deeply important spiritual mother to Eugene, feeding his intellect with classic literature and attending to his physical health in ways his biological mother completely neglects.

A wealthy merchant's daughter with distinctive cat-green eyes. She captures Eugene's heart over the course of a single summer, becoming his first profound experience with romantic love before the realities of their age difference intervene.

One of the older Gant daughters, who escapes the immediate family chaos early by marrying a grocer. She represents a quieter, more conventional path out of the brawling household, choosing domestic distance over direct conflict.

Ben's twin brother, remembered by the family as the gentlest and saddest of the boys. He contracts typhoid from eating contaminated fruit at the fair, and his sudden, tragic death in childhood leaves a permanent void in his family.

An older woman staying at Eliza's boardinghouse who engages in a quiet, comforting affair with Ben Gant. She provides him with rare affection and understanding before facing the consequences of their secret connection.

A cash register salesman ten years older than Helen Gant. He provides her with a socially acceptable escape through marriage, settling with her in Sydney before eventually moving back into the Gant family's immediate orbit in Altamont.

A university professor who recognizes Eugene's immense intellectual potential. He provides vital academic counsel, advising the young man to pursue his graduate studies at Harvard to truly find himself.

A young South Carolinian grocer who marries Daisy Gant. He represents a traditional, quiet life, eventually moving his new wife to Augusta, Georgia, and then back to his hometown to avoid the drama of her family.

An older woman from Indiana who marries Steve Gant. Her small inheritance briefly boosts Steve's ego before he predictably squanders it and falls back into his destructive habits.