Emily is a poet living in Amherst, Massachusetts, raised in a strict Puritan household. She receives a rigorous education in arithmetic, sciences, and literature at Amherst Academy before briefly attending Mount Holyoke Female Seminary. Disliking domestic labor and traditional religious practices, she increasingly retreats from society to focus on her writing. She writes roughly 1,800 poems in her private world, frequently exploring themes of eternity, mortality, and the limitations of human perception.

Susan is Emily's closest confidante, literary critic, and eventual sister-in-law. She introduces Emily to the works of influential writers like the Brownings and the Brontë sisters, significantly shaping her literary perspective. She maintains a constant, though sometimes turbulent, correspondence with Emily, receiving hundreds of her poems and serving as a vital link to the literary world.

Austin is Emily's brother, raised by a wealthy lawyer in a prominent Amherst family. Following his marriage to Susan Gilbert in the 1850s, he moves into a house directly next door to his childhood home. This physical proximity keeps him closely tied to his reclusive sister's daily life and grounds the Dickinson siblings in the same community.

Lavinia is Emily's younger sister, sharing the same strict Puritan upbringing in Massachusetts. She remains living at the family home alongside Emily for her entire life. She provides companionship and stability as her older sister increasingly withdraws from the outside world, creating a tight-knit domestic circle.

Edward is a wealthy lawyer and American statesman living in Amherst, Massachusetts. He raises his three children in Homestead, a large mansion situated on the town's main street. He provides his family with a comfortable life steeped in a strong Puritan tradition.

Edward serves as the president of Amherst College. He frequently delivers scientific lectures that young students, including Emily, attend. His enthusiasm for scientific observation leaves a lasting mark on those who hear him speak.

Mabel is a woman connected to the Dickinson family through her romantic involvement with Austin. She interacts with the family's social sphere in Amherst and is positioned as a key figure in their broader social circle.