Paul is the book’s main character, and his life is modeled off of the real-life story of author Pietro di Donato. Paul is 12 at the outset of the book when he must quit school and seek a job to support his family in the wake of his father’s death. He becomes a young adult over the course of the book, exploring new friendships, the hardships of daily work, and his growing sexuality. Although he initially has faith in God to keep his family afloat and seeks comfort in his ability to provide for his family through Job, he becomes jaded as the toils of Job wear on him. Ultimately, he loses both his faith in God and his faith in Job. His name is likely a reference to the biblical figure St. Paul the apostle, who led the first Christians and is an important figure in the religion.

Geremio is the wife of Annunziata and the father of Paul, along with seven other children. He is a poor Italian immigrant who works as a foreman on bricklaying construction site in the Lower East Side of New York in the early 1900s.