Lyle is a young, unkempt man who lives on the streets and grapples with his family's traumatic history in the Miramichi River area. He harbors deep resentment toward his father's unwavering pacifism and struggles to reconcile his own desire for justice with his family's impoverished reality. Bitter and cynical, he numbs his pain with alcohol and frequently engages in destructive behavior.

Sydney is an incredibly intelligent but uneducated man who makes a childhood pact with God never to raise his hand or voice in anger. His extreme pacifism and strict moral code make him an easy target for the community's cruelty, ultimately leading to his family's destitution. He finds solace in classic literature and philosophical texts, approaching his hardships with absolute stoicism.

Elly is a pure-hearted, quiet woman who grew up in a nunnery and an orphanage before marrying Sydney. She loves her husband deeply and views the world through a lens of natural wonder and faith. She frequently interprets ordinary events as miracles, maintaining her spiritual purity despite suffering through crushing poverty, social ostracization, and illness.

Mathew is a devious, manipulative local criminal who harbors a deep-seated grudge against the Henderson family. He constantly schemes to improve his own standing while shifting blame for his crimes onto Sydney. He successfully weaponizes the town's prejudice to position himself as a local hero while acting as the primary source of the Hendersons' misery.

Leopold is a wealthy, powerful industrialist who operates the local paper mill. He exerts massive economic control over the town, essentially dictating the fates of the poorer families through his employment practices and business maneuvers. His mill's toxic chemicals directly poison the local environment, causing widespread illness.

Autumn is Lyle's albino younger sister, physically marking the family's separateness from the rest of the town. She possesses a bright, imaginative mind and a strong affinity for literature, adopting her father's intellectual curiosity. She faces intense bullying at school but uses education and writing as a shield against the community's cruelty.

Percy is the youngest Henderson child, demonstrating remarkable empathy and innocence despite his bleak surroundings. He frequently tries to console his family members and keep the household emotionally tethered. His gentle nature stands in stark contrast to the violence and manipulation prevalent in the broader community.

Cynthia is Mathew's younger sister, a deeply opportunistic and deceptive woman. She uses her beauty and cunning to extract resources from wealthier men in the community while actively plotting against the Hendersons. She frequently utilizes blackmail to maintain leverage over the people around her.

Rudy is Leopold McVicer's weak-willed son-in-law. He constantly seeks to secure his position in the McVicer empire while engaging in illicit affairs and participating in the Pit family's schemes. He lacks personal fortitude and frequently bends to blackmail and intimidation.

Roy is Sydney's hardworking, illiterate father. He faces an unjust dismissal from the paper mill and subsequent false accusations regarding a fire on company property. He suffers severely under the harshness of the local justice system, demonstrating the vulnerability of uneducated workers in the town.

Trenton is the intellectually disabled brother of Mathew and Cynthia Pit. He often follows his brother's instructions and frequently becomes a pawn in the community's larger conflicts, eventually arriving at the center of a major local tragedy.

Teresa May is Cynthia's sickly young daughter. Her fragile health causes ongoing tension for her mother and serves as a point of leverage against the men involved in Cynthia's life. Her illness is likely tied to the toxic environment created by the local paper mill.

Gladys is Leopold McVicer's eccentric daughter and Rudy's wife. She suffers from multiple sclerosis and remains largely isolated from the town's darker realities due to her family's wealth. Despite her privilege, she is controlled by her father's strict demands.

Gerald is a highly educated environmental biologist and former Rhodes Scholar. He returns to the community to assess the toxic impact of McVicer's operations on the local residents. He acts as a rare advocate for truth, challenging the dangerous industrial practices poisoning the town.

Father Porier is the local clergyman who commands significant influence in the community. He secretly aligns himself with McVicer's interests, trading spiritual integrity for material security. He harbors dark secrets regarding his past inappropriate treatment of young male parishioners.

Penny is the relatively wealthy niece of the local clergyman. She becomes heavily involved in environmental protests against the paper mill after falling ill from its pesticides, bravely defying her family's wishes and McVicer's bribes to stand up for the community's health.

Connie is a local man whose childhood altercation with Sydney shapes both their lives. He struggles with alcoholism and frequently aligns himself with Mathew Pit to avoid taking responsibility for his own failures, demonstrating cowardice when confronted with the consequences of his actions.

Constable Morris is the local police officer who repeatedly fails to conduct fair investigations. He harbors a deep infatuation with Elly Henderson, which fuels his active prejudice against Sydney, leading him to readily accept false evidence to build cases against the pacifist.

Constable Delano is a fair-minded and intelligent police officer who replaces the incompetent Constable Morris. He attempts to genuinely investigate the crimes in the community, clearing up past false charges and advising local youths against seeking illegal retribution.

Terrieux is a cynical, retired policeman who listens to Lyle's extensive recounting of his family history. He carries his own regrets about his time in law enforcement, particularly regarding an incident where he saved the life of a criminal who went on to cause immense harm.

Deidre is a sharp, socially mobile woman who grew up with Elly in the local orphanage. She later works in social services and the tax department, frequently intervening in the Hendersons' lives, sometimes offering help but often acting as an agent of an unfeeling bureaucracy.

Isabel is a hardworking, highly principled lawyer. She meticulously gathers evidence to defend Sydney against the town's false accusations, serving as one of the few individuals willing to advocate for the truth in a corrupt community.

Hanny is Elly's adoptive brother who works as a local fisherman. He briefly takes in Lyle when social services separates the Henderson children, treating the boy with unexpected patience even when Lyle lashes out.

Danny is a dangerous local thug who actively participates in the community's harassment of the Hendersons. He and his brothers represent the violent, lawless underbelly of the rural town.

Cheryl is a young girl from an impoverished local family. She shares a bond with Lyle based on their mutual social disgrace, dreaming of escaping the small town's crushing poverty to become a Hollywood star.

Jay is a supportive neighbor who occasionally protects the Hendersons from the town's aggression. He provides practical help and security to the family when Sydney is absent or refusing to fight back.

Samson is an angry, impoverished local drunk who deeply resents Sydney's quiet dignity. He physically threatens Sydney but ultimately lacks the fortitude to carry out his violence when met with passive resistance.