The Harlequin is an anonymous revolutionary resisting his society's rigid, time-obsessed laws. Clad in a whimsical jester's costume, he employs playfulness, showers of jelly beans, and harmless delays to disrupt the oppressive state. His public acts of rebellion make him a folk hero to the working classes, while his unpunctual nature causes tension in his personal life.

The Ticktockman, officially known as the Master Timekeeper, is a tall, masked, and quiet figure who enforces societal punctuality. Operating from his office with a soft, dangerous demeanor, he holds the power to permanently deactivate citizens who fall too far behind schedule. He views the Harlequin as a severe threat to the orderly, mechanical functioning of the state.

Pretty Alice is the Harlequin's romantic partner. She is an observant and passionate woman who strongly disapproves of his vigilante acts. She desires a normal, rule-abiding life and frequently criticizes him for his chronic lateness and refusal to conform. Her practical worldview creates a sharp ideological divide between them.

Marshall Delahanty is a citizen of the time-obsessed society whose unpunctuality catches the lethal attention of the authorities. His circumstances show the severe consequences of violating the state's rigid scheduling laws. He flees into the Canadian forest in a desperate bid to evade the master schedule.

Georgette is the wife of Marshall Delahanty. When she receives a government turn-off notification, her immediate, terrified reaction shows the reality of her totalitarian society. She illustrates how ordinary citizens live in constant fear of the Master Timekeeper's schedule.