Al-Sayyid Ahmad is the strict, authoritarian patriarch of the al-Jawad family who runs a successful store in Cairo. At home, he demands absolute obedience and adherence to traditional Islamic rules, instilling fear and respect in his wife and children. Outside his home, he cultivates a completely different persona as a charming, jovial companion who frequently enjoys parties, music, alcohol, and the company of courtesans.

Amina is the devoted and completely isolated second wife of al-Sayyid Ahmad. Married before she turned 14, she is confined to the family home under her husband's strict orders and spends her time meticulously managing the household and cooking for the family. She finds immense joy in her children and her rooftop garden, accepting her lack of freedom with a deep sense of religious duty.

Yasin is the eldest son of the household, born to al-Sayyid Ahmad from a previous, dissolved marriage. He works and earns a salary but spends much of his time and money pursuing women, visiting cafés, and drinking alcohol. He struggles with his desires and lacks self-control, unconsciously imitating the very hypocrisies and vices that his father hides from the rest of the family.

Fahmy is a highly intelligent law student and the eldest son of Amina and al-Sayyid Ahmad. He possesses a strong sense of idealism and personal principles that place him at odds with the strict confines of his father's household. As World War I concludes, he develops a passionate interest in the growing Egyptian nationalist movement, desiring independence for both his country and himself.

Kamal is the youngest son of the al-Jawad family. As a young boy, he is shielded from the adult realities of his household and remains deeply attached to the familiar routines of his family life. He is intensely bonded to his mother and highly curious about the outside world, frequently observing the streets and interacting with the British soldiers stationed near their home.

Khadija is the eldest daughter of al-Sayyid Ahmad and Amina. She possesses a sharp tongue and a quick wit, frequently using sarcasm to mask her insecurities about her future and her appearance. She bears a complex mix of affection and jealousy toward her younger, more conventionally attractive sister, and she shoulders a large portion of the household chores under her mother's supervision.

Aisha is the younger daughter of the family, widely considered to be more beautiful and amenable than her older sister. She acts as the household peacekeeper, smoothing over arguments and trying to maintain a cheerful demeanor. Confined to the house, she relies on fleeting eye contact through windows to build her romantic fantasies about the outside world.

Maryam is a young woman who lives in the house next door to the al-Jawad family. Unlike the al-Jawad daughters, she is permitted to occasionally look out and interact from a distance. She exchanges subtle smiles with Fahmy, becoming the object of his intense affection.

Umm Hanafi is the dedicated servant of the al-Jawad household. She works alongside Amina to manage the intense daily chores, from cooking to cleaning. She occasionally escorts young Kamal to school when the streets become unsafe.

Zubayda is a wedding singer and entertainer who catches the eye of al-Sayyid Ahmad. She frequently hosts evening gatherings at her home filled with music and drinking, operating outside the strict gender rules that govern the domestic women in Cairo.

Jalila is an established singer in Cairo and a former lover of al-Sayyid Ahmad. She is known to drink heavily and holds no fear of speaking her mind publicly, making her a dangerous presence to men who wish to keep their private vices a secret.

Zanuba is a lute player who resides in the household of Madam Zubayda. She captures Yasin's romantic interest, encouraging his pursuit with playful glances from afar.

Shaykh Mutawalli is a religious man and an old acquaintance of al-Sayyid Ahmad's father. He attempts to offer moral guidance and correction, though he is easily mollified by gifts and polite conversation.

Umm Maryam is the neighbor of the al-Jawad family and the mother of Maryam. Married to a paralyzed man, she occasionally acts as an intermediary for the families and eventually becomes an object of al-Sayyid Ahmad's private romantic considerations.

The widow of al-Sayyid Ahmad's former mentor, she represents a highly esteemed and wealthy family in Cairo. She leverages her social standing to secure marriages for her sons, possessing enough influence to make al-Sayyid Ahmad reconsider his own strict rules.

Zaynab is the daughter of a wealthy textile merchant who is arranged to marry Yasin. She frequently brags about her Turkish heritage and struggles to adapt to the highly restrictive, misogynistic environment of the al-Jawad household.

Hasan Ibrahim is a young police officer who unknowingly becomes the center of Aisha's romantic fantasies. He eventually asks his friend Fahmy to arrange a marriage proposal, unaware of the strict patriarchal rules blocking the match.

Khalil is the son of the wealthy Widow Shawkat. Because his family is rich, he does not work and spends his days lounging at home, eventually marrying into the al-Jawad family.

Ibrahim is Khalil's older brother. He is a widower who has lost both his first wife and his children, and he relies on his mother to arrange his second marriage.

Jamil is a dedicated employee who helps manage al-Sayyid Ahmad's business. He respects his employer deeply and contributes to the smooth operation of the store.

Julian is a British soldier assigned to the encampment across the street from the family. He is friendly toward the local children and occasionally exchanges smiles with the young women in the neighborhood.

Amina's mother is an elderly woman who lives alone, having lost her other daughters to an epidemic years prior. She maintains her own residence and acts as a place of refuge for Amina during times of family crisis.

Yasin's mother is the first wife of al-Sayyid Ahmad. Following her divorce, she pursued other relationships and marriages, which led her former husband and her son to view her with intense, hypocritical judgment.

Muhammad is a wealthy textile merchant and a close personal friend of al-Sayyid Ahmad. He expects his daughter to be treated with respect and uses his influence to forcefully intervene when she is wronged.

Nur is a servant brought into the household to assist Zaynab. She is placed in a difficult position when she is targeted by the aggressive sexual advances of her employer's husband.