Note: In this novel, the author presents no major characters other than himself. While some brief character sketches are offered throughout the book, the individuals described are often anonymous. Instead, Twain prefers to write about geographical regions, ethnic groups, and social customs. Consequently, this section will emphasize these elements more than characters.

Mark Twain is the pseudonym of American satirist Samuel Clemens. In Roughing It, Twain is the narrator and central character. At the time the book begins, he is 26 years old and unsure of the future direction of his life. In tagging along with his brother on a cross-country journey, Twain observes the American West from the perspective of a young man who has only read about the places he is visiting. Frequently, his assumptions are at odds with the reality he finds. Twain tries his hand at multiple pursuits and stumbles across a career as a writer purely by accident. In the process, he finds a rich source of literary inspiration in the odd characters and customs he encounters during his travels. While he fails multiple times to make his fortune by various means, the book ends with Twain as a successful lecturer and author.