Richard is a sensitive, thoughtful second-generation Mexican-American boy growing up in Santa Clara, California, during the Great Depression. Possessing an intense love of reading and a desire to become a writer, he seeks to experience as much of life as possible. He fiercely guards his intellectual independence, often finding himself at odds with both the traditional expectations of his parents and the prejudiced assumptions of American society.

A proud, patriotic former colonel who fought alongside Pancho Villa in the Mexican Revolution. Forced into exile in California, he clings to traditional Mexican machismo and patriarchal authority. He struggles to adapt to the shifting cultural landscape of his new home, finding his status and unquestioned authority eroding as his family acculturates to American life.

Juan Manuel's devout, traditional wife who initially embodies old-world Mexican domestic ideals. Living in America slowly alters her perspective, leading her to question her husband's infidelities and violent outbursts. She channels most of her affection and hopes into her only son, seeking stability in a rapidly changing family dynamic.

A fiercely independent Protestant girl who shares Richard's love of books and his ambition to become a writer. She ignores her mother's snobbish prejudice against Richard's Mexican heritage, forming a bond with him based on intellectual equality. She possesses a calm, unbending conviction about her own future.

A tough, terrifying tomboy who rules the neighborhood boys through physical intimidation. As she reaches adolescence, she loses her dominant position in the group, finding her status reduced as the boys discover their sexuality. She transitions from a street-fighting leader to a young woman searching for affection.

Richard's pragmatic, conventional-minded friend of Italian descent. Ricky focuses heavily on material success, money, and typical American markers of status. He often clashes with Richard's philosophical outlook and open-mindedness, bringing a narrow, sometimes prejudiced perspective to their interactions.

An exiled intellectual from a wealthy Portuguese aristocratic family who abandoned his comfortable background for a life on his own terms. He serves as an erudite mentor to Richard, encouraging independent thought and philosophical inquiry. Beneath his cultured exterior, he harbors profound personal shame and psychological torment.

One of Richard's sisters, navigating her adolescence under the heavy, restrictive expectations of her traditional father. Her attempts at typical American teenage life—staying out late and socializing—cause significant friction in the Rubio household.

A Japanese-American boy in Richard's diverse circle of high school friends. As global conflicts escalate, he faces increasing racial tension and isolation from the community, relying heavily on Richard for unquestioning acceptance.

A young, impressionable girl in the neighborhood who forms a connection with the older intellectual, Joe Pete Manõel. Her involvement with him becomes the subject of severe town gossip and police intervention.

A fellow Mexican expatriate and friend of the Rubio family. He plans to purchase land further inland to establish financial independence, representing the immigrant dream of property ownership.

Cirilo's wife, a woman living within the traditional confines of her expatriate community. She is acutely aware of the shifting morals and domestic troubles within her social circle.

A high-ranking military officer in Mexico who fought alongside Juan Manuel during the revolution. He represents the compromises of aging revolutionaries, contrasting sharply with his friend's rigid and uncompromising ideals.

An older boy and prominent figure within the local pachuco subculture. He takes an interest in Richard after a street fight, offering him protection and a sense of underground brotherhood.

Cirilo's niece, a young woman who embodies the traditional Mexican demeanor that the older generation reveres. Her presence highlights the contrast between traditional Mexican womanhood and the increasingly Americanized girls of Richard's generation.