Torless
He's the somewhat hesitant protagonist of the book, hesitant because of his detached attitude. Torless is a genius which means he's incredibly bored in school and horribly lonely. His peers misunderstand his conversation for arrogance when really he's just trying to be understand, but no one can pierce his terse exterior it seems. Out of boredom and isolation he spends most of his time depressed. One day he realizes that friends would help, so he convinces the most popular kids to be his friends. They think they're humoring him, but Torless knows that he's actually the one using them for their social status. He approaches his problems analytically, although he is young and impulsive enough to ignore obvious solutions in favor of more satisfying self-destructive habits. When he wonders whether or not he's gay, he participates in the sexual abuse of Basini in order to discover the truth point-blank, which he does. It turns out, he is gay.
Beineberg and Reiting
These two guys are pretty popular at the school. They're bullies who exploit their "friendship" which Torless in order to make him their personal lackey. Despite their authority among peers, they are both pretty stupid boys. They set great stock in respect, leading them to maliciously abuse Basini after he insults them by stealing from them. Self-restraint is not either of their strong suits.
Basini
Basini is a rather shy kid who mostly keeps to himself. He steals out of desperation, but he chooses his targets carefully. He wanted to embarrass Reiting and Beineberg and Torless by stealing from them, so he mutely accepts their consequent retaliation even at extreme lengths. Unwilling to stand up for himself, he indulges in self-hatred as a result of the abuse. He just needs help, so he takes kindly to Torless who seems more sympathetic and genuine. Hopefully getting expelled turns out to be exactly what he needs to make sense of his life.
Bozena
She is a young prostitute in the neighborhood. Having seen a lot of life, she chooses to be a prostitute out of rebellion. She resents the expectations and complications which society places on her as a woman, so she has sex with guys for money in order to feel better about herself. She knows that she's superior to these guys, but she enjoys the exchange and the reputation which comes with it.
