Jacob Horner

Jacob Horner serves as the narrator of the novel, a man navigating his early thirties who has completed his coursework and passed his oral exams for a master's degree in English at The Johns Hopkins University. His life takes a dramatic turn when he experiences an inexplicable paralysis at a Baltimore bus station. Rescued by the enigmatic Doctor, he undergoes a series of unconventional therapies and is subsequently employed as a grammar instructor at Wicomico State Teachers College, located on Maryland's eastern shore. Horner embodies a thoroughly existentialist philosophy, devoid of fixed beliefs or a consistent persona. He openly acknowledges that his life consists of a succession of contradictory roles, and he possesses the unique ability to entertain conflicting ideas simultaneously. This adaptability, however, leaves him vulnerable to inertia and a lack of true self-identity when left alone.

Joe Morgan

Joe Morgan, a colleague of Horner, is in his early thirties and teaches ancient, European, and American history at Wicomico State Teachers College. Horner describes him as a "tall, bespectacled, athletic young man, terribly energetic," marking Morgan as a notable figure at the otherwise unremarkable college. His academic credentials include a bachelor's degree in literature and a master's degree in philosophy from Columbia University, along with near-completion of his Ph.D. in history at The Johns Hopkins University, pending his dissertation. Unlike Horner, Morgan subscribes to a clearly defined philosophy, which he ambitiously follows to its ultimate, logical ends, regardless of potential conflicts with conventional morality. His commitment to living coherently, where every action and event must be rationally justified, grants him a certain inflexible rigidity of mind and spirit.

Renée (Rennie) Morgan

Renée (Rennie) Morgan is the wife of Joe Morgan and the mother of their two young sons. She is a large-framed woman with short blonde hair and brown eyes, noted for her athleticism and prowess as a horsewoman; she even takes on the role of teaching Jacob Horner to ride. Rennie confides that she felt as if she were "nothing at all" before meeting Joe. Initially attracted to her independence, Joe gradually, perhaps subconsciously, molds her thought processes to mirror his own philosophical outlook. Lacking his resolute will, she ultimately engages in an adulterous affair with Jacob Horner, possibly driven by a latent need for revenge or self-assertion.

The Doctor

The Doctor is a mysterious figure in the novel, characterized as an African American medical practitioner in his mid-fifties. He is described as small, dapper, and bald, with a greying mustache. The Doctor encounters Jacob Horner in a state of paralysis at a Baltimore bus station and insists that Horner undergo a regimen of unconventional treatments at "The Farm," a facility he oversees. Among these therapies is mythotherapy, a method where patients construct narratives from their daily lives to create characters they will embody. This therapeutic approach resonates with Horner's existentialist perspective and is repeatedly cited by Horner as a justification for his actions.

Peggy Rankin

Peggy Rankin is portrayed as a forty-year-old English teacher whom Horner meets at the beach. After a casual seduction, Horner exits her life but returns when he requires assistance in finding an abortionist after Rennie Morgan becomes pregnant. Initially, Peggy allows him back into her life, albeit with feelings of humiliation and exploitation. Eventually, she reaches a breaking point and decisively rejects him, closing the chapter on their fraught relationship.