Niggle
Niggle, the story's protagonist, is a humble little man with a passion for painting. He devotes all his time to creating beautiful art, but he's never satisfied, constantly getting irritated by disruptions to his routine. Despite this, he has a good heart, often helping his neighbor Parish with repairs and errands. The people of the town think he's essentially useless for society, but through the story, Niggle is revealed to be a valuable dreamer.
Parish
Parish is Niggle's neighbor, an unpleasant fellow with a bad leg, a penchant for complaints, a critical eye for gardening, and no appreciation for painting. He continually bothers Niggle during his life, but when they meet again in the land before the Mountains, they coexist with friendship and mutual support, revealing the goodness latent underneath Parish's selfish exterior.
The Voices
While working at the Workhouse/hospital site, Niggle overhears two Voices speaking about his case. They discuss various aspects of his life and character, debating whether or not to send him to "the next stage." These Voices are obviously supernatural, and one might be led to wonder if they might represent two persons of the Holy Trinity (the Father and the Son).
The Driver
Midway through the story, the Driver arrives at Niggle's house, announcing that it is time for his journey. This Driver is clearly some sort of representation of Death, ushering Niggle into his afterlife. Interestingly, he is portrayed as a rather kindly figure, and certainly not the grim representation of Death so popular in literature.
The Shepherd
When Niggle and Parish complete their work in Niggle's Country, they travel to the Edge of the country, just before the Mountains. There, they meet a shepherd, who offers to take them both through the Mountains as their guide. Only Niggle goes with the shepherd, but he is another allegorical figure in the story who represents the guiding force of God in man's life.
