Nikolenka Irteniev
Nikolenka Irteniev is the protagonist of the story. He is ten years old and tells of his happy childhood. Nikolenka is a kind boy, who in the world of money and idleness manages to preserve his sincerity and generosity of soul.
Volodya
Volodya is Nikolenka’s older brother. Together, they move to Moscow with their father. Volodya is only thirteen years old.
The mother
The mother of Nikolenka is the dearest person to him. He admires her pure soul and kind heart, and always remembers her with greatest tenderness.
The father
The father of Nikolenka is a good man as well, but he plunges into gambling very often, and brings much grief to his wife. The father is not so daring to Nikolenka as the mother, but still the boy shows love and good attitude to his father, who has never been rude or unfair to him.
Natalia Savishna
Natalia Savishna is the old maid of the mother. Nikolenka is sure that nobody loved his mother the way Natalia Savishna did. She has brought up the mother, and was very attached to her.
Karl Ivanich
Karl Ivanich is a teacher of German. He lives with the Irtenievs family in the village, and when the father takes the boys to Moscow, Karl Ivanich goes with them. He is a good-natured person.
