Absolution

Benjamin 'Benjie' Stanfield is a charismatic schoolboy who befriends Blakey and becomes entangled in lies and manipulation. He tests the boundaries of authority, disobeys Fr. Goddard's warnings, and uses confession as a weapon to cover his misdeeds. A calculating but morally ambiguous figure, Stanfield wields truth and lies to control outcomes, until the ultimate revelation tests his conscience.

Arthur Dyson is a schoolboy whose friendship with Benjie triggers the social shift away from the form master’s favor. He appears reserved yet harbors a willingness to take drastic actions when provoked by Fr. Goddard's cruelty and Stanfield's manipulation. Dyson is capable of violence and plays a key role in the deception surrounding Blakey's fate. He ultimately becomes a foil to Stanfield's self-preservation, complicating the moral calculus of confession.

Father Goddard is the form master who embodies rigid religious authority and the politics of confession. He wields the seal of confession as a shield for his actions, and his cruelty escalates the boys' fear and resentment. His manipulation and punitive approach push Stanfield toward violence and force him to confront the limits of absolution. In a climax of moral crisis, he ends up bearing the guilt of the crimes he cannot publicly confess.

Blakey is a wandering motorcyclist who arrives at the school seeking odd jobs and food, acting as a disruptive outsider. His presence unsettles the social order and catalyzes conflict with the students and staff. He becomes a focal point for the boys’ experiments with deception and desire for freedom. His involvement accelerates the deadly chain of events and exposes the fragility of loyalties.