Joseph Bloch

Joseph Bloch is depicted as a construction worker and former soccer goalie, a young man whose life was once defined by his excellence in sport. However, his soccer career is now a relic of the past, and he faces the daunting challenge of navigating a complex and unpredictable world devoid of the clear-cut rules of the game he once mastered. Bloch's paranoia is conspicuous from the novel's outset; he irrationally concludes that he has been fired simply because only the foreman greets him. This initial paranoia escalates into a series of irrational actions, culminating in the murder of a theater cashier just a day later—a stark indication of his deteriorating mental state.

Throughout the narrative, Bloch, once celebrated as a great goalie, finds himself ironically bereft of a goal in life. His lack of purpose mirrors his descent into deeper psychosis, leaving readers to speculate on when his violent impulses might resurface. Bloch's character is crafted from multiple influences. It is partly inspired by a psychiatric study of schizophrenia that Handke encountered in 1968, detailing a thought process called apophanic perception. This involves perceiving random objects with paranoid significance while feeling threatened by the environment—a theme that Handke found profoundly impactful.

Furthermore, Bloch's persona is shaped by Handke’s engagement with structuralist and semiological thinkers such as Roland Barthes and Alain Robbe-Grillet, who propose that reality is constructed through language. Handke himself described Bloch's behavior as an exaggerated form of everyday perception, reflecting how language shapes reality. In addition, Bloch embodies aspects of Handke's personal experiences. According to Handke, writers often experience transcendent moments akin to schizophrenic states, transporting them from mundane life into the realm of imagination. Bloch’s character, with its extreme tendencies, serves as a reflection of these creative episodes.

Gerda

Gerda, a theater cashier, meets Bloch's gaze through his paranoid-psychotic lens, obscuring her individuality. Bloch is mesmerized by her ease in handling money, a skill he lacks, which ultimately leads to her tragic demise. Both characters are products of an existential era, and Gerda's imprudence and moral laxity play a minor role in her fate. Despite Bloch’s disheveled appearance—having just been mugged—Gerda allows him to follow her. When he makes contact, she responds with unexpected intensity, taking him into her home and bed. This interaction lacks genuine warmth, evidenced by her delayed disclosure of her name, shortly before Bloch murders her.

Hertha

Hertha, ostensibly Bloch’s girlfriend, occupies an ambiguous space between reality and imagination. Bloch "remembers" her residing in the border town he escapes to post-murder, yet he makes no effort to find her. During a conversation with his landlady, he internally refers to her as "Hertha," though never directly. In contrast to other women in Bloch's life, Hertha—or the landlady—exhibits efficiency, practicality, and responsibility, traits perhaps shielding her from Bloch’s destructive nature. Despite their undefined relationship, Bloch's dialogues with her are more substantive than with any other character.

Girl in Restaurant

The girl in the restaurant epitomizes the rootlessness and moral ambiguity inherent in Bloch's bleak world. Encountered shortly before he meets Gerda, she is easily persuaded by Bloch to join him in his quest for a location suitable for a sexual liaison. When no place is found, they resort to riding an elevator repeatedly, underscoring the transient and superficial nature of their interaction, before Bloch leaves her behind.

A Policeman

A policeman makes a brief appearance, engaging in a conversation with Bloch that mirrors the duties of a soccer goalie. This interaction highlights thematic connections between Bloch's athletic past and his current erratic behavior, encapsulating the novel's exploration of Bloch's fragmented psyche.