The young housewife is a married woman living under traditional domestic expectations during the early 20th century. She spends her mornings completing daily tasks behind the wooden walls of her residence. When she steps out to the curb to summon local vendors, she appears shy and uncorseted, tucking in stray ends of hair. She briefly leaves the physical confines of the house, operating carefully at the boundary line of her property.

The speaker is an unnamed observer who watches the young housewife from the physical distance of his vehicle. He compares her to a fallen leaf, projecting his own personal interpretations onto her morning routine. He maintains a polite but detached demeanor, bowing and smiling as his car rushes over dried leaves.

The young housewife's spouse is absent during the mid-morning events of the poem. He represents the traditional patriarchal structure of the era, holding legal ownership over the property where his wife spends her days. His implicit authority sets the physical and social boundaries containing his wife.

The ice-man is a local tradesman working his route during the mid-morning hours. He brings necessary supplies to the household, prompting the housewife to momentarily leave the confines of her wooden walls and stand at the street's edge.

The fish-man is a working-class vendor selling goods in the neighborhood. His presence in the street gives the young housewife a specific reason to interrupt her indoor routine and interact with the public sphere.