Helen Rask is the tragic heroine of *Bonds*, modeled on Mildred Bevel. She is a precocious, multilingual child whose talents are exploited by her parents, leading to her becoming withdrawn and solitary.

Mildred appears as a shadow in *Trust*, depicted by Vanner as the intelligent but tragic Helen and by Bevel as a supportive wife. She is a mystery whose true character is explored.

Andrew Bevel, the investor on whom Rask is based, is portrayed through multiple perspectives in *Trust*. He is concerned with his public image, appearing superficial while pretending to be profound.

Ida Partenza is a 23-year-old ghostwriter hired by Bevel to write his autobiography. A second-generation Italian immigrant, she brings transparency to *Trust* and seeks to uncover the truth about the Bevels’ marriage.

Partenza’s unnamed father is an Italian American émigré and an anarchist living with his daughter in Brooklyn. He clings to manual typesetting, embodying a static and flat character marked by his idealism.

Leopold Brevoort is Helen’s father in *Bonds*, an intellectual living through Helen. His obsession with Swedenborg theology illustrates the dangers of self-contained systems, contrasting with Rask/Bevel's financial pursuits.