Out of This Furnace

Elena is George's wife, who eventually immigrates to America about a year after George. While in Hungary, Elena has a son that later dies. She becomes pregnant again after arriving in America and gives birth to Mary. The couple has two more children, Alice and Anna. The birth of their son in Hungary left Elena sickly. She also has a prominent goiter on her neck, which causes her shame. As Part 1 progresses, she spends much of her time in bed or going to church. Elena never explains what her sorrow stems from, and even seems to forgive George after he begins an affair with Zuska. Elena tries speaking to George about their marital woes while on her deathbed, to no avail. 

Mary is the eldest daughter of George and Elena. She is born at the White Haven camp, before the couple moves to Braddock. Mary finds work for a wealthy American family at the age of fifteen and remains employed there until she marries Mike Dobrejcak. The couple have a son, John Joseph, in 1903, and a daughter named Pauline later. There other two children are Mikie and Agnes. Mary manages to support her children after Mike dies. She does so until she, too, meets with heartbreaking tragedy. She falls victim to consumption, and must go to a sanitarium to get better, though she eventually dies.

Zuska is a beautiful woman that George meets aboard ship when he is on his way to America. She is married to John Mihula, and the couple is on their way to lodge with her sister in Pittsburgh. Zuska is envied by all the men on the ship. George throws a party for her birthday while aboard the ship, of which she later learns caused him to spend all his money. Years later she walks into George's butcher shop in Braddock. She reveals that she has moved to Braddock after the death of her husband, and has two sons. Though she is older, George still likes Zuska, and she him. She and George begin an affair, which eventually scandalizes George. After Elena dies, she is pregnant with his child and marries him. When their finances take a turn for the worse, Zuska begins stealing money from George. He beats her for this, and is jailed, and Zuska leaves him.

Andrej is George’s brother-in-law. He is married to George's sister Francka. The couple immigrated to America before George. Andrej works at the coal mining camp in White Haven, Pennsylvania, and secures George his first job working for the railroad when he arrives to America.

Francka is the strong-willed wife of Andrej, and George’s sister. After the Sedlar's move to the Homestead area, she eventually buys a house in Munhall Hollow and, in disbelief, becomes pregnant after twelve years. The boy is named Victor. She later has a son named Andy.

Joe Dubik initially works at the White Haven camp, and is the first person that George meets when he arrives. The two become fast friends, and roommates. Joe is twenty-one years old when he meets George, and reveals that he has a girlfriend, Dorta, back in Hungary. He eventually sends for Dorta and the two marry. Joe leaves White Haven to work in the steel mills. He convinces George to work in the steel mills as well, as the wages are slightly better. Joe is eventually killed in a terrible accident at the steel mill in 1895.

Dorta is the girlfriend that Joe Dubik leaves behind in Hungary. She finally arrives to America and marries Joe. The couple move to Braddock when Joe takes a job in the steel mills. They have a child together, and she begins taking in boarders to supplement their income. When Joe dies in a steel mill accident, she remarries after some time to a man named Steve Radilla. 

Mike is a young man from Joe Dubik's village in Hungary. He immigrates as well, and stays as a boarder with Dorta. He spends three weeks walking to Bremen and manages to find work in the First Class kitchen on the crossing. He is paid $10 when he reaches America, which is a lot of money at the time, and is even offered a job, but refuses. Mike eventually goes to school to learn to read and write English. Though he has noncommittal girlfriends, he eventually marries Mary Kracha in 1902. He had dreams of a better life for his family, and became a citizen to vote and make a difference. Mike is killed in an accident at the mill.

Mikie is the third child born to Mary and Mike Dobrejcak. He lives in the sanitarium with his mother and sisters, but returns to Braddock after Mary’s death. Though he secures a job at the steel mill, after finishing his apprenticeship, he moves to New York. He again returns to Braddock for George's funeral, but tells his brother Dobie that he can never live in Braddock again.