Character guide

Bunny Ross

major

Also known as Bunny, Mr. Ross, Ross, Mr. Roscoe, Bunny Ross, Mr. Bunny Ross, Roscoe

The oilman's son who grew up half inside the business and half outside its conscience, forever caught between his father's fortune and the workers it grinds up.

Dad Ross

major

Also known as Dad, II Dad, Meantime Dad, kind old Dad, The same old Dad

A self-made oil magnate with calloused hands and a soft heart, drilling wells and buying land while quietly dreading the labor storm he can feel coming.

Paul Watkins

supporting

Also known as Paul, Watkins, V Paul, Paul Watkins of Paradise

A poor preacher's son turned oil-field hand and organizer, whose fierce intelligence and stubborn decency make him the conscience Bunny keeps trying to ignore.

Ruth Watkins

supporting

Also known as Miss Ruth Watkins, Ruth, the Watkins, Miss Ruth, Dear Ruth, Ruth Watkins

Paul's sister, raised in a household of tent-meeting fervor and hardscrabble poverty, whose quiet dignity and watchful eyes unsettle Bunny more than any sermon.

Vee Tracy

supporting

Also known as Vee, Tracy, Suddenly Vee Tracy, Tessie, Vee Tracy

A movie star with a taste for thrills and a talent for landing in the middle of Bunny's life, all charm and impulse and inconvenient timing.

Vernon Roscoe

supporting

Also known as Mr. Roscoe, Vernon Roscoe Bldg., Verne, Vernon, Ross, Mr. Vernon Roscoe

The smooth, ruthless face of organized oil capital, who talks compromise while running blacklists and framing organizers with a smile.

Eli Watkins

supporting

Also known as Eli, IV Eli, Eli Watkins, Mr. Eli Watkins, old Mr. Watkins

Eli Watkins presides over the Watkins household as a figure of intense, almost frightening religious devotion, his strange vocal outbursts and convulsive worship leaving visitors like Bunny and his father shaken. He represents a world of hardscrabble faith and rural suspicion that stands in stark contrast to the oil-driven ambitions of the Ross family. His presence in the early chapters establishes the cultural and class divide that Bunny must navigate as he grows into his father's business and the broader conflicts of the novel.

Aunt Allie

supporting

Also known as Bertie, Alice, VII Bertie, Robbie Warden, Robbie, Miss Alberta Ross

Aunt Allie, known as Bertie, is Bunny's worldly and cynical relative, a woman who pursued a career and a rich husband with equal calculation and has the scars to prove it. Recovering from a back-alley procedure, she confides in Bunny with startling candor about her failed scheme to trap Charlie into marriage, revealing both her vulnerability and her unshaken belief that money and social position are the only real prizes. Her pragmatic, unsentimental advice about Vee, marriage, and Dad's political dealings gives Bunny a window into the compromises adults make, and her voice sharpens the novel's critique of a society where women's ambitions are channeled into manipulation and self-preservation.

Rachel Menzies

supporting

Also known as Rachel, Miss Menzies, the Menzies, Miss Rachel Menzies, Menzies, V Rachel, Dear Rachel

Rachel Menzies occupies an ambiguous place in Bunny's social orbit, admired by some and coldly dismissed by others like Henrietta, who considers her beyond the pale. Her willingness to speak uncomfortable truths, such as telling Bunny that his temperament suits Henrietta rather than herself, marks her as a character whose honesty cuts against the social graces of her class. She matters to the early arc as a foil and mirror for Bunny's romantic and moral confusion, embodying the tensions between propriety, desire, and self-knowledge that run beneath the surface of the novel's drawing-room scenes.

Eunice Hoyt

minor

Also known as Hoyt, Eunice

A minor character, possibly a friend or acquaintance of the Ross family.

Annabelle Ames

minor

Also known as Annabelle, Ames

A young woman who appears in Bunny's social circle.

Daniel Webster Irving

minor

Also known as Mr. Irving, Mr. Daniel Webster Irving, Dan Irving, Dan, Irving

A lawyer or businessman involved in the oil industry.

Mrs. Groarty

minor

Also known as And Mrs. Groarty, poor Mrs. Groarty, The Groarty

A local woman, possibly a tenant or neighbor of the Rosses.

J. Arnold Ross

minor

Also known as J. Arnold Ross Says, Mr. Ross, the great Mr. Ross, Mr. J. Arnold Ross, Arnold

A prominent figure in the Ross family, possibly Bunny's uncle.

Aunt Emma

minor

Also known as Emma

Another aunt of Bunny, part of the extended Ross family.

Jake Coffey

minor

Also known as Jacob Coffey, Mr. Coffey, the said Jacob Coffey, Coffey, Jake, Mr. Jake Coffey, Jacob

A roughneck or worker in the oil fields.

Mr. Hardacre

minor

A minor character, possibly a business associate.

Harvey Manning

minor

Also known as Harvey, Verne, Harve, Harve, poor Harvey

A friend or colleague of Vernon Roscoe.

Ben Skutt

minor

Also known as Skutt, Ben

A minor character, possibly a worker or local.

Mr. Hank

minor

Also known as Hank

A minor character, possibly a ranch hand or worker.

Papa Menzies

minor

Also known as Papa, the Menzies, Menzies, Papa Menzies

The father of Rachel Menzies, a wealthy patriarch.

Chaim Menzies

minor

Also known as Chaim, Menzies, Old Chaim Menzies, old Chaim Menzies

An older member of the Menzies family.

Peter Nagle

minor

Also known as Peter, Pete O'Reilly

A roughneck or oil worker, possibly Irish.

Mamma Menzies

minor

Also known as Mamma, Mamma Menzies

The mother of Rachel Menzies.

Mrs. Olivier

minor

Also known as Ross, Alyse, Mrs. Alyse Huntington Forsythe Olivier, Mrs. Alyse Ross, Mrs. Ross, the infamous Alyse

A glamorous and scandalous woman connected to the Ross family.

Meelie Watkins

minor

Also known as Meelie, the Watkins, Meelie Watkins

A member of the Watkins family, possibly a daughter.

Eldon Burdick

minor

Also known as Eldon, Mr. Eldon Burdick, Mr. Burdick

A minor character, possibly a lawyer or businessman.

Harry Seager

minor

Also known as This fellow Seager, Seager, Harry

A minor character, possibly a journalist or writer.

Mrs. Norman

minor

A minor character, possibly a neighbor or acquaintance.

Mr. Bandy

minor

Also known as young Bandy, old Mr. Bandy

A minor character, possibly a local resident.

Nina Goodrich

minor

Also known as Nina

A minor character, possibly a friend of the family.

Tom Axton

minor

Also known as Axton

A minor character, possibly a worker or associate.

Henrietta Ashleigh

minor

Also known as Henrietta

A minor character, possibly a socialite.

Appleton Laurence

minor

Also known as young Mr. Appleton Laurence, Mr. Laurence, Mr. Appleton Laurence

A young man from a wealthy family, possibly a suitor.

Gregor Nikolaieff

minor

Also known as Gregor, VII Gregor Nikolaieff

A Russian character, possibly a refugee or prince.

Rosie Taintor

minor

Also known as Rosie, Taintor, little Rosie

A minor character, possibly a child or young woman.

Charlie Norman

minor

Also known as Charlie

A minor character, possibly a relative of Mrs. Norman.

Old Mrs. Ross

minor

Also known as VII Old Mrs. Ross, old Mrs. Ross, Mrs. Roscoe

An elderly matriarch of the Ross family.

Mr. Eaton

minor

A minor character, possibly a business associate.

Schmolsky

minor

Also known as Schmolsky - Superba, The great Schmolsky, the great Schmolsky, Lest Schmolsky

A minor character, possibly a musician or performer.

Mr. Sahm

minor

A minor character, possibly a local resident.

Mr. Ascott

minor

A minor character, possibly a business associate.

Fred Orpan

minor

Also known as little Willie, Willie, Fred Orpan, Orpan, Fred, Even Fred Orpan

A minor character, possibly a child or young man.

Jim Ross

minor

Also known as Jim, Mr. Ross, Ross, Mr. James Ross, James Ross

A relative of Bunny, possibly a cousin or uncle.

Mr. Dumpery

minor

A minor character, possibly a shopkeeper or local.

Bessie Barrie

minor

Also known as Bessie

A minor character, possibly a servant or friend.

Ben Riley

minor

Also known as Ben

A minor character, possibly a worker.

Dr. Cowper

minor

Also known as Cowper, Dr. Alonzo T. Cowper

A doctor and possibly a university president.

Barney Brockway

minor

Also known as Brockway

A minor character, possibly a worker or local.

Miss Snypp

minor

A minor character, possibly a secretary or teacher.

Jacob Menzies

minor

Also known as Jacob, the Menzies

A member of the Menzies family, possibly a son.

Mr. Benzinger

minor

Also known as IV Mr. Benzinger

A minor character, possibly a business associate.

Carberry

minor

Also known as old Carberry

A minor character, possibly a local resident.

Mr. Bankside

minor

A minor character, possibly a neighbor.

Billy George

minor

Also known as Billy

A minor character, possibly a young man.

Tommy Paley

minor

A minor character, possibly a friend or worker.

Mr. Golighty

minor

A minor character, possibly a business associate.

Excelsior Pete

minor

Also known as Peter, Pete, Excelsior Peter, Pete O'Reilly

A minor character, possibly a worker or performer.

D. H. Culver

minor

Also known as Mr. D. H. Culver, Mr. Culver

A minor character, possibly a lawyer or businessman.

Abel Watkins

minor

Also known as old Abel Watkins

A minor character, possibly an older relative of the Watkins.

Cautious Cal

minor

Also known as Calvin Coolidge, Coolidge, Cal

A minor character, a caricature of President Coolidge.

Hank Thatcher

minor

A minor character, possibly a worker or local.

Jim Junior

minor

Also known as Jim, Junior, old Jim

A minor character, possibly a servant or worker.

Viola Tracy

minor

Also known as Miss Tracy, Viola Tracy, Miss Viola Tracy

A relative of Vee Tracy, possibly her mother or sister.

Mrs. Carey

minor

Also known as Mr. and Mrs. Carey, Mr. Carey

A minor character, possibly a neighbor.

Dave Murgins

minor

Also known as Murgins, Dave, David

A minor character, possibly a worker.

Secretary Crisby

minor

Also known as Crisby

A minor character, possibly a government official.

Miss Patricia O'Reilly

minor

Also known as Patricia

A minor character, possibly a relative of Pete O'Reilly.

Joe Gundha

minor

Also known as poor Joe Gundha, Joe

A minor character, possibly a worker or local.

Koski

minor

A minor character, possibly a worker with a foreign name.

Dan Rossiger

minor

Also known as Dan

A minor character, possibly a worker or associate.

Mrs. Gundha

minor

A minor character, possibly the wife of Joe Gundha.

Mr. Menzies

minor

A minor character, possibly a member of the Menzies family.

Young Pete O'Reilly

minor

Also known as Young Pete, Young Pete O'Reilly, Pete O'Reilly

A minor character, possibly a younger relative of Pete O'Reilly.

Tommy Hoyt

minor

Also known as Tommy Hoyt, Tommy

A minor character, possibly a relative of Eunice Hoyt.

Comrade Chaim

minor

Also known as Chaim

A minor character, possibly a socialist or communist.

Mr. Skutt

minor

Also known as Skutt

A minor character, possibly a relative of Ben Skutt.

Joe Groarty

minor

Also known as Joe

A minor character, possibly a relative of Mrs. Groarty.

Mrs. Schmolsky

minor

A minor character, possibly the wife of Schmolsky.

Superior Judge Patten

minor

A minor character, a judge in the story.

Comrade Ross

minor

A minor character, possibly a socialist version of a Ross.