Enza is a hardworking and devoted young woman living in the mountains of Northern Italy. As the eldest daughter, she bears significant responsibility for her parents and five younger siblings, demonstrating natural talent as a seamstress. Her life changes dramatically when family hardships prompt a move to the United States, forcing her to find immense inner strength and endurance in a foreign, often unforgiving environment.

Ciro is a resilient and capable youth forced to grow up quickly when he is orphaned and left in the care of nuns. Known for his charm and physical strength, he endures loneliness by relying heavily on his older brother. Ejected from the convent as a teenager, he travels to New York to apprentice as a shoemaker, seeking to establish a livelihood while holding onto the memory of a chance encounter in the Alps.

Laura is a bold, spirited American seamstress who befriends the more reserved Enza. She serves as an essential guide to adjusting to life in the United States, consistently encouraging Enza to dream bigger and advocate for herself. Fiercely loyal, Laura is instrumental in helping Enza escape oppressive working conditions and find housing in the city.

Marco is a dedicated family patriarch in the Italian Alps who operates a coach to earn a meager living. Devoted to his wife and children, he makes immense personal sacrifices to ensure they are sheltered and fed, even when it means leaving his beloved mountains to find work in America.

Eduardo is the gentle, scholarly older brother of Ciro. When the boys are abandoned, Eduardo assumes a parental role, sacrificing his own comfort to ensure Ciro feels safe. Deeply faithful, he decides to pursue a vocation in the church in Rome, though he remains fiercely devoted to his brother across the distance.

Antonio is a young, first-generation Italian-American boy who brings immense joy to the adults around him. He deeply admires the hardworking figures in his life and seeks to honor the sacrifices made by those who traveled from the Italian Alps to the United States. He represents the hope and legacy of the immigrant experience.

Luigi is an Italian immigrant who forms a fast friendship with Ciro during their arduous transatlantic voyage. Though he initially intends to marry an arranged match in Ohio, his plans change, and he remains a steadfast, loyal presence in Ciro's developing life in America.

Pappina is a supportive and hardworking woman who marries Luigi Latini. She integrates into the close-knit circle of Italian immigrants, sharing the challenges and triumphs of establishing a business and raising a family in a new country.

Angela is the daughter of Luigi and Pappina Latini. She grows up surrounded by the strong cultural ties of her family's Italian heritage and develops a keen interest in music, eventually venturing to New York City to pursue her studies.

Caterina is the overwhelmed and grieving mother of Ciro and Eduardo. Shattered by the loss of her husband in a faraway mining accident, she suffers a nervous breakdown and makes the agonizing decision to leave her sons in the care of nuns, a choice that haunts her family for years.

Carlo is a hardworking Italian father who travels to Minnesota to labor in the coal mines, hoping to send money back to his family in the Alps. His tragic early death in a mining accident sets off a chain reaction that irreversibly alters the lives of his wife and sons.

Giacomina is the loving, resilient mother of Enza and her siblings. She marvels at Enza's natural talents but is heavily burdened by poverty and the tragic early loss of her youngest child, relying on her eldest daughter to help keep the family afloat.

Stella is the youngest and most adored of the Ravanelli children. At five years old, she shares a particularly deep bond with her eldest sister, Enza, before falling suddenly and tragically ill with a severe fever.

Don Raphael Gregorio is the parish priest at the San Nicola convent. Though outwardly authoritative and quick to reprimand the orphans, he harbors secrets that compromise his moral standing, particularly a scandalous involvement with a local girl that puts him at odds with Ciro.

Concetta is a beautiful young girl from the local village who captures Ciro's early adolescent infatuation. However, she is secretly involved in a forbidden affair with the parish priest, a dangerous situation that forces Ciro out of the convent.

Remo is a skilled shoemaker and business owner in Little Italy. He takes the young, newly arrived Ciro under his wing, teaching him the meticulous craft of shoe repair and providing him with structure and mentorship in a daunting new city.

Carla is Remo's wife and a warm, maternal presence in Ciro's early American life. She helps him settle into the bustling neighborhood of Little Italy and grows attached to his hardworking nature, often treating him like family.

Vito is a successful baritone opera singer who courts Enza in New York City. He introduces her to a glamorous, refined lifestyle of fine dining and theater, offering her the promise of financial security and an entirely different path from her working-class immigrant roots.

Felicitá is a beautiful, materialistic young woman in New York City who captures Ciro's attention shortly after his arrival. Though she is drawn to fine things and makes demands of him, she provides a diverting romantic experience during his early years in America.

Colin is an accounting clerk who takes an interest in Laura Heery. Though their relationship faces obstacles due to his family's disapproval of her background, he remains a significant figure in Laura's life as they manage the complexities of young love in the city.

Ignazio, frequently known as Iggy, is the handy and observant handyman at the San Nicola convent. He is friendly with the orphaned boys and ultimately reveals crucial truths to Ciro about his father's fate before the young man leaves for America.

Sister Teresa is a relatively young and kind-hearted cook at the San Nicola convent. She takes an immediate liking to the energetic young Ciro, providing him with food and a rare source of maternal warmth during his challenging years at the church school.