Adriana

Adriana (ah-dree-AH-nah), a prostitute. She is a heroically proportioned woman, even at sixteen years of age. She first augments her income as a seamstress by working as an artist’s model; next, she tries to become a dancer. When her lover puts off marrying her, she easily drifts into prostitution because she likes men and the indolent life her new profession affords her. She becomes pregnant by a murderer but persuades a young anti-Fascist that the unborn child is his.

Gino

Gino (JEE-noh), Adriana’s first lover. He promises to marry Adriana, but she discovers that he already has a wife. As her lover, he is soft-spoken and gentle.

Astarita

Astarita (ahs-tah-REE-tah), Adriana’s first customer, brought to her by her friend Gisella. He is a police official and is friendly to Adriana, even to keeping her lover Mino out of prison. Astarita is killed by Sonzogno in revenge for a slap.

Sonzogno

Sonzogno (sohn-ZOHN-nyoh), a hoodlum. Adriana admires his strength, takes him as a lover, and becomes pregnant. Sonzogno, seeking revenge for a slap, seeks out Astarita at the ministry where he works and throws the man over a balcony to his death.

Mino

Mino (MEE-noh), a nineteen-year-old student and an anti-Fascist. He is a weak young man. When he is questioned by the police, he betrays his fellow conspirators and later commits suicide in remorse. He is convinced by Adriana that he is the father of her unborn child.

Gisella

Gisella (jee-ZEHL-lah), Adriana’s friend and fellow prostitute. Gisella acts as procuress to start Adriana in her career.

Adriana’s mother

Adriana’s mother, a poor woman who sells her daughter’s physical charms as an artist’s model and then is bitterly angry when the girl accepts a lover. When Adriana’s prostitution brings in money and offers promise of an easy life, the mother is quite content.