- Jurgis Rudkus, a Lithuanian who immigrates to the US and struggles to support his family.
- Ona Lukoszaite Rudkus, Jurgis' teenage wife.
- Marija Berczynskas, Ona's cousin. She dreams of marrying a musician. After Ona's death and Rudkus' abandonment of the family, she becomes a prostitute to help feed the few surviving children.
- Teta Elzbieta Lukoszaite, Ona's stepmother. She takes care of the children and eventually becomes a beggar.
- Grandmother Swan, another Lithuanian immigrant.
- Dede Antanas, Jurgis' father. He contributes work despite his age and poor health; dies from a lung infection.
- Jokubas Szedvilas, Lithuanian immigrant who owns a deli on Halsted Street.
- Edward Marcinkus, Lithuanian immigrant and friend of the family.
- Fisher, Chicago millionaire whose passion is helping poor people in slums.
- Tamoszius Kuszleika, a fiddler who becomes Marija's fiancé.
- Jonas Lukoszas, Teta Elzbieta's brother. He abandons the family in bad times and disappears.
- Stanislovas Lukoszas, Elzibeta's eldest son; he starts work at 14, with false documents that say he is 16.
- Mike Scully (originally Tom Cassidy), the Democratic Party "boss" of the stockyards.
- Phil Connor, a boss at the factory where Ona works. Connor rapes Ona and forces her into prostitution.
- Miss Henderson, Ona's forelady at the wrapping-room.
- Antanas, son of Jurgis and Ona, otherwise known as "Baby".
- Vilimas and Nikalojus, Elzbieta's second and third sons.
- Kristoforas, a crippled son of Elzbieta.
- Juozapas, another crippled son of Elzbieta.
- Kotrina, Elzbieta's daughter and Ona's half sister.
- Judge Pat Callahan, a crooked judge.
- Jack Duane, a thief whom Rudkus meets in prison.
- Madame Haupt, a midwife hired to help Ona.
- Freddie Jones, son of a wealthy beef baron.
- Buck Halloran, an Irish "political worker" who oversees vote-buying operations.
- Bush Harper, a man who works for Mike Scully as a union spy.
- Ostrinski, a Polish immigrant and socialist.
- Tommy Hinds, the socialist owner of Hinds's Hotel.
- Mr. Lucas, a socialist pastor and itinerant preacher.
- Nicholas Schliemann, a Swedish philosopher and socialist.
- Durham, a businessman and Jurgis's second employer.
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