V. Thomas Pynchon

Major characters

• Benny Profane – The protagonist and a self-proclaimed human yo-yo
• Rachel Owlglass – An upper-class woman from the affluent Five Towns on the south shore of Long Island
• Herbert Stencil – A troubled Englishman who is obsessed with the identity of "V." a woman who is mentioned in his father's journal written shortly before he disappeared in Malta. Stencil speaks almost exclusively in the third person.

Minor characters

• Clayton "Bloody" Chiclitz, the founder of Yoyodyne Inc.
• Angel – Puerto Rican sewer alligator hunter and friend of Profane
• Fina – Angel's sister, she acts as a saint to the Playboy gang, often quelling disputes between them and other gangs over territory. In chapter six it is heavily implied that she is raped by the same gang.
• Geronimo
• Slab
• Melvin
• Raoul
• Debb Sensay
• Brad
• Roony Winsome
• Mafia Winsome
• Paola Maijstral – Maltese immigrant who Profane estimates to be roughly sixteen. Sometime during World War II, Paola marries Pappy Hod to gain entrance to the United States.
• Esther Harvitz – Rachel's Jewish roommate whom Rachel financially supports.
• McClintic Sphere
• Fergus Mixolydian – An "Irish Armenian Jew" and the "laziest living being in Nueva York". Fergus is so lethargic that the only activity that he takes part in excluding television is once a week "to fiddle around at the kitchen sink with dry cells, retorts, alembics, salts solutions."
• Shale Schoenmaker, M.D. – a Jewish plastic surgeon who specializes in rhinoplasty. Schoenmaker decides to become a plastic surgeon during World War I while working as an engineer in the Aviation Section. During this time he witnesses pilot Evan Godolphin become disfigured after a mission in which his plane was heavily damaged.
• Dudley Eigenvalue, D.D.S, -- Stencil's dentist and "psychodontist" in whom he confides. Eigenvalue also possesses a prized pair of titanium dentures in a museum display case in his offices.
• Ploy – An engineer on the mine sweeper Impulsive. Standing five feet tall in boots, Ploy has an extremely violent temperament, oftentimes attempting to start fights with the largest sailors. Ten months before the beginning of the first chapter Ploy's teeth are removed by the Navy, being replaced by a pair of dentures. Ploy entertains himself by biting barmaids at the Sailor's Grave on the buttocks.
• Pig Bodine – A perverted member of the Sick Crew. Prior to joining the crew, Bodine was enlisted on the U.S.S. Scaffold where he operated a pornographic lending library and would write fetish erotica using the ship telegraph. Bodine's knees have the odd ability to lock in place allowing him to effectively sleep while standing, much to the astonishment of the navy physicians.
• Kurt Mondaugen – An engineer who works at Yoyodyne who is interviewed by Stencil.