Jason is a twenty-one-year-old factory worker of German descent who takes immense pride in his family's generational history at Olstead's mill. He is rough-mannered but protective, often using tough talk to mask his insecurities about the future. He feels deeply tied to his job and his hometown, resisting any pressure to imagine a life outside of Reading.

Chris is a twenty-one-year-old African American factory worker who longs to pursue a college education and become a teacher. He recognizes the draining cycle of factory labor and consumption, leading him to seek a life beyond Olstead's mill despite the social pressure to stay. He carefully balances his personal aspirations with his loyalty to his family's legacy of union activism.

Tracey is a forty-five-year-old factory worker of German descent who feels a deep, generational bond with Olstead's mill and the city of Reading. She possesses a fiery personality and a fierce loyalty to her friends, though she harbors growing suspicions about management's intentions. She strongly believes in the dignity of manual labor and resents any changes to her established way of life.

Cynthia is a strong-willed, forty-five-year-old African American factory worker who has spent over two decades on the floor at Olstead's mill. Seeking a better situation for her family, she hopes to secure a rare promotion into management. This aspiration places her in a difficult position, forcing her to balance her personal ambition against her solidarity with her peers.

Evan is an experienced African American parole officer in his forties. He oversees Chris and Jason after their release from prison, offering guidance that is both blunt and empathetically considered. He maintains a firm understanding of the personal struggles his parolees face upon returning to society.

Stan is a bartender in his fifties who previously worked on the floor at Olstead's mill until a severe machine accident left him with a lifelong limp. He serves as a friendly, insightful sounding board for the factory workers who frequent his bar. With a broad view of the town's shifting dynamics, he often cautions his patrons against the dangers of local nostalgia.

Oscar is a twenty-two-year-old Colombian American busboy working at Stan's bar. Eager for better opportunities and a higher wage, he keeps a close eye on the job postings at the local mill. He quietly absorbs the conversations around him, recognizing that the factory workers who patronize the bar largely refuse to acknowledge his presence.

Jessie is an Italian American factory worker in her forties who works on the floor alongside Tracey and Cynthia. She often relies on alcohol to cope with the monotony of her life and carries a quiet nostalgia for her youth. She occasionally wonders who she might have become if she had traveled the world instead of staying in Reading.

Brucie is an African American factory worker in his forties who has been locked out of his own textile mill during a prolonged, ninety-three-week strike. The financial and emotional toll of the lockout weighs heavily on him, driving a wedge between him and his family. He battles substance abuse as he struggles to maintain his dignity and sense of purpose without his job.