Edna Pontellier – Edna is a 28 year old woman, who is married to a wealthy business man by the name of Leonce Pontellier.  Edna is an insecure, impulsive whore, on the account that she acts on what she feels good to her, and in various occasions cheats on her husband.  Edna is very artistic who tries to make money selling her portraits when she decides to break away from accepted culture beliefs. 

Alcée Arobin— Alcee Arobin is a horse racer, who on his spare time likes to make his quest to become intimate with married women.  While Robert is away in Mexico, and her husband is away on a business trip, Alcee is able to please Edna’s impulses.

Mademoiselle Reisz – Mademoiselle is a highly talented pianist, who Edna idealizes.  Mademoiselle Reisz is unmarried and childless.  She devotes all her time to her music. Edna goes to Mademoiselle for help with her troubles.  Many of the times her guidance is given through music, not threw words.  Mademoiselle is the person that gives Edna the courage to through away cultural tie downs and become the artist she is destined to be.

Ad­ele Ratignolle – Adele Ratignolle is the back side to what Edna is and wants to be.  Adele has a lot of kids and would give her life for them.  Adele and Edna get into an argument about this attitude because Edna explains to her that she would never give her life to her children.  

Robert Lebrun – Robert Lebrun is Edna’s true lover.  Edna plays hard to get, and makes Robert think that she doesn’t care for him, but when Robert moves to Mexico, Edna can’t stop thinking about him. She becomes destroyed when he leaves.  While his stay in Mexico, Robert writes letters to Mademoiselle Reisz constantly asking about Edna, but never formally writes to her.  When Robert returns to New Orleans for a visit, Edna and Robert become close, but never intimate.  When the two of them get a little to close for Edna’s liking she tells him that it is better for them to stay apart.  When she does this, there is nothing left for her to live for and this forces her to drown herself.  The bird in the bird at the end of the story was actually Edna, and its wing was broken because she lost Robert.  Robert was everything to her.

Léonce Pontellier – Leonce Pontellier is Edna’s cultured husband.  He went with society and was content with it.  He loves his family, but is too concerned with his business to be bothered to spend time with them.  He loves Edna, but not with the excitement that Edna is longing for; and unfortunately he doesn’t understand this.

Doctor Mandelet – Doctor Mandelet was the doctor that Leonce asked to watch Edna about her.  Doctor Mandelet realizes that Edna is fine, she just loves another man.  He realizes that there is nothing for him to do; and also suspects the consequences of Edna’s quest for independence.  He disregards Edna’s morbid ideas, and finds Edna as the son that wakes up the world.

The Colonel – The Colonel is Edna’s father.  He is on the same side as Leonce on how things should be run in a house.  He is a firm believer in control over women and public relations.

Victor Lebrun – Victor Lebrun is the pompous son of Madame Lebrun and younger brother to Robert.

Madame Lebrun – Madame Lebrun is the righteous mother of the Victor and Robert.

The Lady in Black – The Lady in Black, is the person that takes care of all the widowed women on Grand isle.  She doesn’t speak of any independence or strength.

The Two Lovers – The Two Lovers, are always around the lady in black, always loving each other.

The Farival Twins – The Farival Twins, are always dressed in blue and white, personification of chastity.  They will grow up to be nuns.

Mrs. Highcamp – Mrs. Highcamp spends all of her time in New Orleans trying to get hooked up with eligible bachelors

Janet and Margaret Pontellier – Janet and Margaret are the sisters of Edna.  When Janet got married, Edna didn’t attend her wedding

Mariequita – Mariequita is a young Spanish girl who flirts with everybody on grand isle.

Madame Antoine – Madame Antoine is there when Edna falls faint on the island at a Sunday mass, it is her and Robert that tend to the fainted person.

Mr. and Mrs. Merriman, Miss Blayblunt, and Mr. Gouvernail – They are simply party attendees at the Pigeon house

Etienne and Raoul Pontellier – Edna’s children in which she doesn’t care about.

Figurative Language