A young teenager acting as the surrogate patriarch for his family since his father's departure. He lives as a sharecropper on a Louisiana cotton plantation and struggles with a painful toothache that necessitates a trip to Bayonne. Deeply observant and intensely loyal to his mother, he constantly tries to suppress his own physical and emotional pain to meet her expectations of manhood.

A resilient matriarch raising her children on a Louisiana cotton plantation without her husband. She works in the fields as a sharecropper and teaches her sons hard lessons about survival and dignity under Jim Crow laws. Her parenting is strict and pragmatic, prioritizing strength and self-reliance over outward affection to prepare James for a hostile world.

A petite, elderly White woman who runs a small store and residence in Bayonne. Recognizing the struggles of James and his mother as they wander in the bad weather, she insists on feeding them. She attempts to provide comfort and generosity, though she contends with the inherent racial suspicions and power dynamics of the era.

James and Ty's aunt who lives with the family on the cotton plantation. She provides a softer, intervening presence in the household and advocates for communication when Octavia resorts to harshness. She is attentive to the children's needs, stepping in to find local medical help when the situation demands it.

A family friend, Creole medicine man, and practicing Catholic who provides initial relief for James's tooth. Combining Catholic prayers with folk remedies, he acts as an alternative healthcare provider for Black families who cannot easily afford standard medical treatment.

James's younger brother and closest companion on the plantation. He resents the early mornings and repetitive meals brought on by their crushing poverty but shares a deep, protective bond with James built through their hunting trips and shared daily life.

James and Ty's absent father who is no longer living with the family on the plantation. His absence forces Octavia into a solitary matriarchal role and places the burden of manhood early on young James.

An older clergyman waiting in the dentist's office who represents traditional faith and endurance. He advocates for unquestioning trust in God's will and bristles at anyone who challenges religious dogma, eventually resorting to physical violence when his beliefs are aggressively questioned.

A well-dressed, educated individual who publicly questions religious faith and the structural oppression of Black people. He favors rational thought, skepticism, and direct action over passive endurance, sparking a physical altercation and representing an emerging, radical generation.

A dentist practicing in Bayonne who serves the local Black community. Though reputed to be unskillful and known for inflicting pain on his patients, he is the only affordable medical option for sharecroppers like James's family.

A child patient at the dentist's clinic. His loud cries of agony prompt a theological and generational debate among the adults in the waiting room.

Helena's husband who is confined to bed rest with a cold. His illness prompts Helena to invent a chore for James, allowing her to offer the traveling family a meal with dignity.