An Eastern-educated poet currently staying at the Los Muertos ranch. He searches for a romantic, idealized vision of the American frontier for his epic poem but finds himself repeatedly confronted by the harsh economic realities of wheat farming and freight tariffs. As an outsider, he struggles to synthesize his lofty artistic ambitions with the mundane struggles of the local community.

The intelligent but volatile owner of the Quien Sabe ranch. Educated as a civil engineer, he possesses a gruff exterior and struggles with deep interior agitation. He professes to be a woman-hater to mask his extreme awkwardness around them, fiercely guarding his autonomy while managing his large agricultural property.

A solitary shepherd and wanderer who works temporarily on the Quien Sabe ranch. Following a tragic incident in his past involving his lover, he has developed a deep, mystical connection to the earth and the cyclical nature of the seasons. He possesses a strange, almost supernatural ability to summon others and prefers to remain somewhat disconnected from the bustling agricultural commerce around him.

The prominent owner of the Los Muertos ranch, widely respected in the community and often referred to as "the Governor." He projects an imposing, morally upright demeanor and strives to lead the local ranchers in their disputes against the Pacific and Southwestern Railroad. Beneath his dignified exterior, he harbors a risky, gambler-like instinct from his days as a miner.

The local representative of the Pacific and Southwestern Railroad, acting as a banker, real estate agent, and general enforcer of the corporation's will in Bonneville. He presents a calm, immovable exterior, casually brushing off the outrage of local ranchers while meticulously expanding the Railroad's control over the valley.

The youngest son of Magnus and Annie Derrick who manages the day-to-day operations of the Los Muertos ranch. He shares his father's physical features and his deep investment in the land's success. He possesses a quick temper and feels fiercely protective of his family's property against the encroaching demands of the Railroad.

A robust, good-natured former engineer for the Pacific and Southwestern Railroad who refuses to accept a pay cut and loses his job. He heavily invests his savings into a modest hops farm, trusting that fair labor and reasonable shipping rates will secure a stable future for his small family.

The nineteen-year-old daughter of the dairy farmers working on Buck Annixter's land. She radiates a youthful, natural vitality and remains largely naive to the romantic attention she attracts. Her gentle nature contrasts sharply with the harsh, masculine environment of the agricultural business.

A local saloonkeeper who harbors deep anti-corporate sentiments. He uses his establishment as a venue to share his socialist and anarchist philosophies with frustrated farmers and laborers, encouraging them to view the Railroad as an oppressive force requiring radical pushback.

A tenant farmer working on Magnus Derrick's land who worries constantly about his family's security. He actively tries to preserve his place in an increasingly mechanized agricultural economy, feeling squeezed between the property owner's ambitions and his own basic needs.

A lawyer with high political ambitions operating out of San Francisco. Unlike his brother Harran, Lyman prefers the complexities of city politics over ranch management, positioning himself to serve on a regulatory commission that directly impacts his family's rural interests.

The wife of Magnus Derrick, who harbors quiet misgivings about her husband's escalating battle with the Railroad. She prefers a stable, moral approach to business and worries about the ethical compromises the local ranchers consider in their desperation.

A local rancher who frequently interacts with the Derrick family and Buck Annixter. He takes a pragmatic and sometimes cynical view of the legal system, openly suggesting bribery as a necessary tool to combat the Railroad's overwhelming influence.

An older rancher in the San Joaquin Valley who aligns himself with Magnus Derrick and the others. He participates in the collective effort to secure fairer land prices and freight rates, representing the established agricultural community.

A ranch-hand who initially works on the Quien Sabe ranch. He presents a rough, frontier-style persona and quickly finds himself at odds with Annixter, leading to a volatile rivalry that pushes him away from the local agricultural community and toward other interests.

A priest at the local Spanish Mission who provides spiritual counsel to Vanamee. While he quotes scripture and teaches orthodox views on resurrection, he also harbors private, un-clerical hobbies like raising gamecocks, demonstrating the complex blend of the sacred and the profane in the valley.

Vanamee's deceased lover, whose tragic death years prior deeply scarred him. Though gone, her memory exerts a powerful gravitational pull on Vanamee, tethering his thoughts to the Mission where she is buried and driving his mystical connection to the earth.

The pretty older daughter of the Hooven family. She enjoys the vibrant social life of the rural community, though her family's precarious financial situation threatens her comfortable existence in the valley.

The wife of the tenant farmer Hooven. She supports her family through the stress of their tenuous living situation, relying entirely on the agricultural economy that her husband attempts to survive in.

Dyke's young daughter, who enjoys local celebrity status in Bonneville due to her father's doting attention. She provides the primary motivation for Dyke's earnest efforts to succeed in his new agricultural business.

Dyke's mother, who lives with him and helps care for her granddaughter, Sidney. She provides domestic stability for the family as they attempt to transition from a steady railroad income to an unpredictable farming venture.

A wealthy San Francisco investor and businessman involved in the shipping industry. He views the global wheat market as a vast economic opportunity, introducing a broader, international perspective to the localized struggles of the San Joaquin Valley farmers.

The wife of the wealthy investor Cedarquist. She moves comfortably in the superficial high society of the city, organizing charitable efforts that reflect her privileged distance from the actual labor required to produce the food she champions.

The owner of the local newspaper in Bonneville. He operates as an informational middleman in the conflict between the farmers and the Railroad, using his publication to manipulate the shifting power dynamics in the valley.

The overarching executive of the Pacific and Southwestern Railroad. Though physically distant from the San Joaquin Valley, his policies dictate the economic reality of the region. He views the corporation not as a group of men, but as an inevitable, natural force.