The speaker is the mother of the birthday boy, hosting a party for young children in her living room. She acts as a passive observer of the boys' interactions rather than interfering with their conversations. She views her son through a distinctly maternal lens, recalling his birth and his physical smallness in contrast to the aggressive posturing of the other children.

The son is a first-grader celebrating his birthday. Physically, he has freckles resembling nutmeg and a narrow chest compared to a balsa wood model boat. Despite his mother's gentle perception of him and his small physical stature, he actively participates in the party's aggressive group dynamics.

The first-grade boys are the guests at the birthday party, characterized by their smooth jaws and chins. They spend the party jostling, assessing each other's sizes, and comparing their respective ages. Their interactions are marked by sudden small fights and assertions of physical dominance over one another.

A guest at the birthday party who uses his age to assert dominance over younger children. He participates in the constant jockeying for position among the partygoers.

A younger guest at the birthday party who finds himself on the receiving end of threats from an older child. He attempts to establish his own place within the shifting hierarchy of the living room.