Jack Duluoz
Jack is the protagonist for this story. He is also the literary personification of Jack Kerouac himself. Invited to his friend's cabin in Big Sur, Jack embarks on a series of three bizarre journeys out to the mountains. Throughout the novel he is plagued with worries about death, mortality, and impermanence. Readers soon discover that he is delusional and an unreliable narrator. The story culminates with him experiencing a complete psychotic break overnight in the cabin after which he declares he is fine. Alluding to the real-life beat generation authors, Jack's life is chaotic, bohemian, and unstable. He isn't depicted using drugs, but his experiences definitely mirror the effects of heavy psychotics.
Lorenzo Monsanto
Lorenzo owns the cabin in Big Sur and invites Jack out there. He is the counterpart of Lawrence Ferlinghetti. While Jack is at the cabin, Monsnato is the one who receives a letter from Jack's mom about the death of this friend's cat.
Cody Pomeray
Cody is Jack's dear friend whom Jack invites out to the cabin in Big Sur. He is the literary counterpart of Neal Cassady. Like Jack, Cody despises the U.S. government, the state of the world, and any attempt at conventionalism. He lives a haphazard bohemian life by choice. Married to Evelyn, Cody invites her to accompany him on his various exploits with Jack in California.
Dave Wain
Wain is Lew Welch's character. He drives the gang around California. Dear to his heart, his jeep is named "Willie." Additionally, he's accompanied by his girlfriend Romana and an impressionable teen named Ron Blake.
Evelyn
Evelyn represents Carolyn Cassady, Neal's wife. She is Cody's wife in the story. In the past, she, Cody, and Jack shared an open relationship. While they no longer engage in three-ways, she does still hold feelings for Jack. In fact Jack believes they'll end up together in another lifetime.
George Baso
Albert Saijo is who Baso represents. Jack and the gang visit him in the hospital where he is sick with tuberculosis. His part of the story serves to once more remind Jack of death.
Rob Blake
Rob follows Dave around. He's a young, impressionable teenager. In this allegory, he represents the generation of young readers who read the Beats and wanted to emulate them. They were the admirers of Kerouac, Ginsberg, and the gang.
Willamine "Billie" Dabney
She is Cody's mistress in San Francisco. She is the counterpart of Jackie Gibson Mercer. She and her son meet Jack after the visit to Baso in the hospital. She is a slim, attractive blonde who quickly charms her way into Jack's heart. Love at first sight may be the appropriate term. As soon as Cody leaves, she sleeps with Jack, and they spend a wild week together. She wants to marry Jack, but he won't allow it, claiming marriage is against his nature.
