Rodrigo is a writer living in Rio de Janeiro who wrestles with existential dread and a profound sense of isolation. He works a manual labor job to support himself but considers writing his sole purpose in life. After encountering a girl from the northeast of Brazil on the street, he obsessively dedicates himself to recording her story. He isolates himself in a small cubbyhole, subsisting on fruit and Coca-Cola, as he struggles with his creative process and his deep identification with his protagonist.

Macabéa is an orphaned girl from Alagoas who works as an incompetent typist at Lojas Americanas. She shares a run-down apartment on Acre Street with four other women named Maria, spending her nights curling into a fetal position to stay warm. She survives on a diet of hot dogs and bologna but finds immense joy in small luxuries, such as putting on red lipstick, drinking coffee, or listening to advertisements on a borrowed clock radio. She lacks basic knowledge about the world and accepts her meager life without complaint.

Olímpico is a metal factory worker from Paraíba who begins dating Macabéa. He harbors grand illusions about his future, dreaming of becoming both a wealthy bullfighter and a congressman. He covers his insecurities by showing off a stolen watch and a gold tooth. During his dates with Macabéa, he repeatedly belittles her lack of knowledge and dismisses her conversational topics.

Glória is a typist and Macabéa's coworker. Unlike Macabéa, she is highly competent at her job and consistently earns the approval of their boss. Glória takes pride in her appearance, intentionally bleaching her body hair to present a more confident, curvy figure. Though she occasionally shows glimpses of guilt or pity toward Macabéa, she frequently mocks her attempts to look attractive, specifically laughing at her for trying to wear red lipstick.

Madame Carlota is a local fortune teller who operates out of an apartment in Rio de Janeiro. She provides her clients with dramatic predictions about their futures and recounts vivid stories from her own colorful past. Her attentive and engaging manner offers Macabéa a rare moment of feeling seen and respected.

Mr. Raimundo Silveira is the boss at the typing office where Macabéa and Glória work. He recognizes Glória's competence but loses patience with Macabéa's constant mistakes, threatening to terminate her employment if she does not improve.

Macabéa's aunt takes custody of her after her parents die when she is two years old. She is a harsh and abusive guardian who instills deep fear in Macabéa. Before passing away, she secures Macabéa her typing position in the city.