Mabel Pervin
Mabel is 27 years old, unmarried and unintending to marry at the start of the narrative, and seems unmoved by the sale of her family's estate and horses. She is the second youngest sibling and only daughter of the Pervin family who remains in their home town. Her sister Lucy left to start a family of her own. Mabel's progression throughout the narrative is stark: she experiences an "awakening," changing from a timid, 'bull-dog' faced girl into an assertive, sexual woman by the end of the story.
Jack Ferguson
Jack is the local doctor and family friend of the Pervin brothers. He lives just outside of the village and is a far more educated man than many of his patients, including the siblings. Lawrence describes Jack as being bored with the countryside. He fears that once the Pervins leave, he will have no friends left in the town. In the first scene, Jack takes an interest in Mabel's situation, suggesting that he has more compassion and consideration for women than the Pervin brothers, but his close friendship with Fred Henry shows that he could perhaps be just as insensitive as Mabel's brothers. Like Mabel, Jack is lonely, and by the end of the story he undergoes a major transformation; from bored and alone to passionately in love, perhaps to the point of lovesickness.
Joe Pervin
Joe is the eldest Pervin sibling, though he is not the most responsible. Lawrence describes him as red-faced, energetic, stupid, and oddly sensual. Joe is dismissive of Mabel's precarious situation at the start of the story, and though he pretends to be concerned for her, he is more worried about his own domestic situation. Joe is marrying a woman close to his age, and because the family fortune has been lost, he will be forced to work for his father-in-law's company. Lawrence's language implies that Joe feels like he, himself, will be yoked like a work horse, the irony being that the sale of horses and work animals provided him with the luxury of not having to work for the majority of his life.
Fred Henry Pervin
Fred Henry is the middle brother of the family, described as a master of horses, but not a master over the events of his own life. He commands a higher level of respect and friendship than his brothers; when Jack Ferguson enters the home he addresses Fred Henry when greeting the family. He is described as "sang-froid" (having a composure of coolness or calm) but seems exasperated by Mabel's passivity in their situation.
Malcolm Pervin
Malcom, twenty-two, is the youngest brother and has a fresh face and an optimistic outlook. However, his optimism seems to come from a place of ignorance and privilege. He does not appear to comprehend the gravity of his sister's predicament—being single, unemployed, and on the verge of not having a place to live.
