Harriet Lovatt - Harriet is the protagonist and mother of the family. She is a career woman who marries David and embraces the idea of having a large family. However, her idyllic vision is shattered by the birth of her fifth child Ben, who is portrayed as a disturbed and inhuman creature. Harriet struggles to love and accept Ben, which strains her relationships with her other children and husband.

David Lovatt - David is Harriet's husband and the father of the family. Like Harriet, he embraces traditional family values and the idea of having many children. However, he becomes increasingly alienated from Harriet and the family due to Ben's presence. David represents the more detached, patriarchal view of fatherhood during that era.

Ben Lovatt - Ben is the titular "fifth child" whose birth and abnormal, inhuman nature disrupt the family's happiness. He is described as a goblin-like creature who is violent, lacks human empathy, and cannot be controlled or loved by his parents. Ben represents the intrusion of the monstrous "other" into the family unit.

Dorothy - Dorothy is Harriet's widowed mother who helps care for the grandchildren. She represents an older, pragmatic view on childrearing compared to Harriet's romanticized notions of motherhood.

The other Lovatt children (Luke, Helen, Jane, and Paul) play relatively minor roles, representing the "normal" children that Ben's presence alienates from the family.

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