Harvey is a deceased sculptor whose body is returned to his hometown of Sand City. He possessed a gentle, sensitive spirit that alienated him from the utilitarian expectations of his frontier community. After leaving the West to attend college, he built a highly successful artistic career in the East. Despite his accomplishments, he harbored immense bitterness over his lack of acceptance from the place of his birth.

Henry is a Boston-based artist who travels to Sand City to escort the casket of his beloved mentor. He serves as an outsider observing the local customs with increasing horror and dismay. His intense grief and reverence for his friend clash violently with the community's emotional indifference and lack of refinement.

Jim is a broad-shouldered, red-bearded lawyer who practices in Sand City. He originally traveled East alongside Harvey to receive an education, but he eventually surrendered to social pressure and returned to the frontier. He uses his legal training to facilitate the corrupt dealings of the local businessmen, a choice that leaves him disgusted with his own life and angry at the town.

The men of Sand City act as a collective, unified group bound by rigid conformity and harsh pragmatism. They value financial success and property above all else, gathering in the Merrick parlor to cruelly mock Harvey's lack of business acumen. Their unified front provides them a sense of protection against the harsh elements of the prairie, while stamping out any individuality.

Martin is Harvey's ailing father and one of the few individuals who expresses genuine, profound grief over the sculptor's death. He previously mortgaged his own farms to finance his son's education. Though he readily admits he never understood his child's gentle nature, his sorrow remains completely authentic.

Annie is Harvey's towering mother, defined by her hypocritical piety and history of cruelty. Her initial wailing at the arrival of her son's casket appears entirely performative, quickly giving way to a cold demeanor. Throughout Harvey's childhood, she relentlessly criticized and shamed him for his differences.

Mr. Phelps serves as the local banker and the primary financial power in Sand City. He commands absolute deference from the locals, holding immense sway over the community's social hierarchy. He openly mocks inquiries about Harvey's potential will, initiating the wider group's cruel insults.

Harvey's unnamed sister participates in the family wake. She is highly conscious of the community's financial hierarchy, demonstrating an obsequious deference when speaking with the local banker instead of focusing on mourning.

Roxie is a servant working in the Merrick family household. Coming from a diverse racial background, she possesses intimate knowledge of the family's private secrets. Her silent presence highlights the superficial propriety the family attempts to project.

An older veteran who sits with the group in the parlor, speaking in a heavy regional dialect. He prompts the cruel eulogy by asking the banker about a will, and he shares a mocking anecdote about Harvey admiring a sunset.