Obadiah Elihue Parker is a poor laborer in the rural South who works odd jobs to fund his primary obsession of acquiring tattoos. Having joined the navy after a brief rebellious period in his youth, he left with a dishonorable discharge and now drifts through life seeking physical sensation. He is largely indifferent to spiritual matters and actively avoids his wife's questions about the state of his soul.

Sarah Ruth Cates is the daughter of a "Straight Gospel" preacher and maintains an extremely strict, practical approach to life. She is physically plain, with eyes described as being sharp as icepicks, and outright rejects common physical pleasures like alcohol, tobacco, makeup, and even well-seasoned food. Her severe demeanor heavily contrasts with her husband's hedonistic habits.

Parker's mother is a supportive parent who provides for him during his youth. She attempts to guide his spiritual development by bringing him to a church revival, an act that inadvertently drives him to run away from home and join the navy.

The tattooed man is a sideshow performer who wears only a loincloth, his entire body covered in intricate, colorful designs. His appearance produces a profound, almost mystical effect on young Parker, awakening a strange sense of wonder and setting the course for his lifelong fixation on body art.

The old woman is a pragmatic property owner in the rural South who hires Parker to drive a tractor and bale hay in her fields.