Martin Dressler
The protagonist, the son of an immigrant cigar shop owner. The story centers around Martin's apparently empty pursuit for meaning through hard work and an undying belief in the American Dream.
Martin's father
Martin's father is a non-dynamic minor character who serves as a foil for Martin's ravenous appetite for corporate power and monetary success. Martin's father is an immigrant and a humble shop owner. Martin believes that his father has failed at the true goal of American life, but it is unclear whether Martin ever truly surpasses his father, even for all the unrelenting work ethic he demonstrates.
Caroline Vernon Dressler
Caroline is Martin's wife and a strategically placed minor character whose unhappiness and desires for a different kind of relationship with Martin bear little on the narrative except to show how truly obsessed Dressler is with his business ventures. The novel never really offers Caroline her full voice because Dressler himself doesn't find meaning in that relationship.
Emmeline Vernon
The foil of Caroline is her sister, Emmeline, who appears as a more involved character in Dressler's story, since she agrees with Dressler's pursuit of business success and actually becomes his business partner and investor. Dressler's relationship with Emmeline shows how business relationships trump personal life for Dressler.
