| W.H. |
Auden | A British-American poet mentioned. |
| Thisbe |
Caroline West | Auden's half-sister. Aka: Isby. |
| Clyde |
Conaway | A native of Colby who operates several local businesses. |
| Nate |
Cross | Auden's classmate in calculus. |
| William |
Faulkner | An American writer mentioned. |
| Robert |
Frost | A renowned American poet mentioned. |
| Detram |
Hollis | A professor that Auden's father greatly admired. |
| Eli |
Joseph Stock | A loner who works at the local bike shop, Jake's brother. |
| Belissa |
Norwood | The jealous ex-girlfriend of Eli Stock. |
| Joseph |
Parker | A New Zealand professional boxer mentioned. |
| William |
Shakespeare | An English playwright and poet mentioned. |
| Karen |
Stock | Eli's mother. |
| Jason |
Talbot | Auden's main competition for highest GPA. |
| Dr. |
Victoria West | Auden's mother. |
| Auden |
West | The 18-year-old, studious, and socially introverted protagonist. |
| Robert |
West | Auden's father. |
| Walter |
Whitman | A foundational American poet, essayist, and journalist mentioned. |
| Abe |
| The deceased best friend of Eli Stock. |
| Adam |
| A Colby local who works at the bike shop. |
| Elaine |
| The chair of the Colby Visitors' Council. |
| Esther |
| One of the girls who works at Heidi's store. |
| Heidi |
| Auden's stepmother. |
| Hollis |
| Auden's brother. |
| Isabel |
| One of Heidi's best friends. |
| Jake |
| Maggie's loved one. |
| Julie |
| A waitress. |
| Laura |
| Hollis's fiancée. |
| Leah |
| One of the girls who works at Heidi's store. |
| Maggie |
| One of the girls who works at Heidi's store. |
| Morgan |
| One of Heidi's oldest friends in Colby. |
| Penelope |
| Auden's middle name. |
| Peter |
| Robert's acquaintance. |
| Ramon |
| An UPS guy, Maggie's acquaintance. |
| Ramona |
| Maggie's acquaintance. |
| Steven |
| Mrs. Stock's oldest son. |
| Tara |
| Hollis's girlfriend. |
| Wallace |
| Adam's friend. |
| Wanda |
| The cashier. |
