Ralph Merritt
Mr. Merritt is the main character and protagonist of the novel. An African-American lawyer, Mr. Merritt comes to live in an all-white neighborhood in a community just on the edge of Harlem, which at this time is undergoing the Harlem Renaissance. As somewhat suspected, Mr. Merritt is not greeted with open arms. Although he assumed that racial tensions would have been of somewhat a lesser degree because of his experiences in Harlem, he is instead greeted by the cold and cruel Miss Cramp, who tries to get him out of the neighborhood and is the representation of the wall referred to in the title of the novel.
Miss Cramp
Miss Cramp is the main antagonist of the novel. A somewhat older woman, although her exact age is not given, Miss Cramp is heavily prejudiced against African Americans. When she learns that Mr. Merritt has moved in next-door, she is a bit outraged, and starts staging plans to get him kicked out or for him to move out. Not once does she take the time to actually talk to him or get to know him as a person.
Linda
Linda is Mr. Merritt's housekeeper, who is fully aware of the tensions between Mr. Merritt and the rest of the neighborhood. Unlike her employer, she thinks that Mr. Merritt should simply move back to Harlem, as his life was much easier there. Linda is an example of the opinion of many at that time, which is part of the reason that racial segregation existed and still exists today.
