The Giant is a large, imposing homeowner who lives in a country castle featuring a magnificent, blossoming garden. Preferring isolation and strictly enforcing his property rights, he immediately builds a high wall to banish the local youths. His rigid possessiveness drastically alters the environment around his home, keeping his estate in a state of perpetual, unnatural winter.

The Little Boy is a remarkably small and sorrowful child who becomes trapped in the Giant's garden. Because of his diminutive stature, he cannot climb into the trees like his peers, leaving his specific corner of the property caught in a bitter freeze. His visible distress eventually catches the attention of the estate's intimidating owner.

The Children are a group of local youths who rely on the Giant's expansive garden as their primary playground. Innocent and cheerful, they bring warmth and vitality to the estate during the owner's absence. When banished to the dusty, hard roads, they frequently reminisce about the sanctuary they lost.

The Cornish Ogre is a creature who lives in Cornwall and maintains a close friendship with the Giant. He hosts his friend for a full seven years, during which time they exhaust all their topics of conversation, prompting the Giant's return home.

Snow is an anthropomorphized force of winter that takes up permanent residence in the Giant's walled garden. Delighted by the absence of spring, Snow paints the grass a solid white and invites other harsh weather elements to join in claiming the isolated estate.

Frost is a conscious element of winter that eagerly settles into the Giant's enclosed property. Working in tandem with Snow, Frost takes particular pleasure in coating the garden's magnificent peach trees in silver, ensuring the environment remains cold and dormant.