Mr. Shiftlet is a 28-year-old, one-handed drifter who stops at the isolated Crater farm to offer his services as a handyman. He presents a varied history, claiming past work as a gospel singer, a railroad foreman, a soldier, and an assistant in an undertaking parlor. Highly skilled at carpentry and mechanical repairs, he focuses his attention on restoring the farm's broken 1920s automobile. He speaks continuously about morality, the mystery of the human heart, and his belief that a person's spirit must constantly be on the move.

Mrs. Crater is an older, pragmatic widow managing a rural farm entirely on her own. She views human interactions primarily through the lens of economic utility and material gain. Recognizing Mr. Shiftlet's mechanical abilities, she immediately begins scheming to secure his labor on a permanent, unpaid basis. She relies heavily on her ability to negotiate, offering her broken car and a small sum of money as incentives for him to marry her dependent daughter.

Lucynell is Mrs. Crater's nearly 30-year-old daughter. Deaf and possessing mental challenges, she relies on her mother for all primary care and life decisions. She assists with daily manual labor, including sweeping, washing, cooking, and feeding the farm's chickens. With pink-gold hair and blue eyes, she possesses a striking, child-like innocence that draws immediate attention from strangers, though she remains largely unaware of the complex negotiations occurring around her.

The Boy is an unnamed youth hitchhiking along the road leading toward Mobile, Alabama. He accepts a ride from a passing driver but refuses to tolerate unsolicited advice. Wearing a hat and maintaining a tight-lipped demeanor, he reacts with open hostility to performative speeches about family devotion, preferring to travel entirely on his own terms.

The Waiter is a pale young man employed at a diner situated along the highway to Mobile. He serves plates of ham and grits to passing travelers who stop for a meal. He pays close attention to the visual appearances of the people who sit at his counter, reacting with genuine awe when a particularly beautiful, innocent-looking customer rests in his establishment.