'Dream of the Red Chamber' was a classic of Chinese classical literature and was hailed as the pinnacle of Chinese novels. This article will analyze this novel from two aspects: the theme and the main characters. I. Thematic Thoughts The theme of 'Dream of the Red Chamber' was 'riches, honor, and tragedy.' The main characters in the novel, such as Jia Baoyu, Lin Daiyu, and Xue Baochai, all encountered various misfortunes and tragedies in the process of pursuing wealth and glory. Through the description of the experiences and fates of different characters, the novel profoundly reveals the drawbacks of feudal society and the weaknesses of human nature. It reflects the greed, selfishness, ruthlessness and helplessness of human nature, and also shows the author's thinking and insight into human nature. II. Shaping of the main characters 1 Jia Baoyu Jia Baoyu was the protagonist of the novel, a wealthy, intelligent, and talented noble son. He pursued wealth and glory, but in the process, he encountered all kinds of misfortune and tragedies. He had emotional entanglements with Lin Daiyu, Xue Baochai and other women, but ultimately failed to realize his own happiness. Lin Daiyu Lin Daiyu was Jia Baoyu's cousin. She was a beautiful, intelligent, and talented woman. She had a deep relationship with Jia Baoyu, but in the end, because of the changes in her family and the arrangement of fate, she died tragically. Xue Baochai Xue Baochai was another important character in the novel. She was a smart, dignified, and intelligent noble woman. Her relationship with Jia Baoyu was complicated, but in the end, she did not realize her own happiness. 4. Wang Xifeng Wang Xifeng was a small character in the novel. She was a smart, witty, and quick-witted woman. She held an important management position in the Jia family but died tragically because of her cleverness and decisiveness. To sum up,"Dream of the Red Chamber" through the experiences and fates of the main characters such as Jia Baoyu, Lin Daiyu, Xue Baochai, etc., profoundly revealed the weakness of human nature and the tragedy of life behind wealth and glory. It was a classic work full of thought and insight.