Henry Dehning

Henry Dehning is a wealthy merchant renowned for his robust appearance and gentle disposition. Though of medium height, his features suggest strength: a firm chin, a pronounced curved nose, and coarse, bushy eyebrows. His square shoulders and stocky build belie his nimbleness and gentle nature. As a self-made man from immigrant parents, Henry is firm, careful, practical, and fundamentally honest in his business dealings. In matters of love, he welcomes a sense of being owned and is drawn to somewhat assertive women. As the head of his family, he enjoys dispensing advice imbued with Old World wisdom, despite his extensive time in America.

Jenny Dehning

Jenny Dehning, the wife of Henry Dehning, exudes fairness and an attractive robustness. Her prosperous appearance reflects her pride in her husband's achievements, yet she is not shy about reprimanding him for social faux pas. Generally cheerful, Jenny can occasionally be blunt, harsh, and assertive, exuding a strong sense of her own importance.

Julia Dehning

Julia Dehning, the eldest daughter of Henry and Jenny Dehning, mirrors her mother’s fairness and radiates vitality and boldness. This energy comes from her pampered upbringing and her father's adoration. Julia inherits a romantic and passionate streak from her grandparents' legacy. She sees herself as adventurous and drawn to refined life experiences, which attract her to Alfred Hersland. However, at her core, she lacks genuine adventurousness or passion. Like her father, a part of her resists change and learning.

David Hersland

David Hersland is a successful businessman of significant stature, with penetrating small brown eyes beneath long, rough eyebrows. His mother's strength contributed to his success, while his father's weakness and uncertainty imbue him with vigor at the start of his projects, though he often struggles to finish them. He can be impatient and irritable. Despite his dedication to his children’s education, he largely overlooks his wife, Fanny.

Fanny Hissen

Fanny Hissen, the wife of David Hersland, is small and mild-mannered. Coming from a well-to-do background, she leads a secluded life after relocating to Gossols with David. Her life revolves around her family, yet she remains unimportant to her husband and loses significance to her children as they grow. Despite her gentle nature, she possesses a stubborn streak that can make her a peevishly domineering mother and employer.

Martha Hersland

Martha Hersland, the eldest child of David Hersland, is somewhat attractive, with blue eyes and an agreeable demeanor. She shares her father's desire for significance and competitiveness, yet unlike him, she generally completes what she starts. Her assertiveness conceals a lack of intelligence, hindering her true understanding of life. Her marriage to Phillip Redfern is unhappy, and after his death, she returns to her father's home.

Alfred Hersland

Alfred Hersland, David Hersland’s son, is well-dressed with strong, attractive features, embodying dignity and grace. He aspires to his father's passion and strength for living and seeks distinction in valuing elegance and beauty in art and life. However, he lacks depth of perception and fails to learn from his experiences. Alfred occupies a liminal space, being neither a complete success nor a total failure.