A Modern Hero

An ambitious circus trick rider who abandons the ring to seek wealth and status. He Americanizes his name to Paul Rader, enters heavy industry, and climbs the social ladder by courting powerful backers and wealthy mistresses. His relentless drive for success strains family loyalties and leads to tragedy, as love, money, and paternity become entangled.

A young woman from Pentland who marries for stability after becoming pregnant with Pierre's child. She resists Paul's wealth-driven lifestyle and strives to protect her child, while navigating the shifting loyalties of love and family. Her decisions anchor the moral center of the story.

Pierre's mother, a one-armed circus star who mentors the family with hard-won wisdom. She warns Pierre about the perils of wealth and romance, and later returns as a fortune-teller who foresees the fragility of his ambitions.

Pierre's loyal friend who helps launch a bicycle shop and later the automobile business. He represents steady, practical ambition and eventually pursues his own path as the market and Pierre's fortunes evolve.

Wealthy widow who provides financial backing and becomes Paul/ Pierre's lover. Her influence highlights the era's transactional nature of relationships and the peril of dependency on volatile fortunes.

A socialite involved with Paul, embodying the glamorous upper class that prestige and appearances drive. Her detachment and dismissive attitude toward Paul reveal the brittle nature of status-seeking relationships.

Joanna's husband who knows about the pregnancy and supports the idea of a family, grounding Joanna in conventional life. He acts as a stabilizing counterpoint to Paul’s audacious ascent.

Joanna's aunt who orchestrates visits and introductions, including bringing Leah into Pierre's world. She acts as a pragmatic mediator between families and ambitions.

Pierre Croy, the child of Joanna and Paul, represents the vulnerable future caught between a fashionable, risk-filled world and the simpler, stable life Joanna hopes to provide. His untimely death becomes the turning point that exposes the costs of the adult's choices.