As we don't know the specific '7 man short story', we can't determine the characters precisely. They could be ordinary men, adventurers, or workers.
Since there's no information about the particular story, the seven men could be all kinds of characters. They might be friends on a road trip, or they could be colleagues in a strange work situation. Maybe some of them are leaders, while others are followers. Without more context, it's impossible to be sure.
Mr. Hawkins is another important character. He is Dave's employer. His relationship with Dave shows the power dynamics between an employer and a young, inexperienced worker. Dave wants to prove himself to Mr. Hawkins as part of his journey to manhood.
The main characters in the gingerbread man short story include the two people who made the gingerbread man, which are an old man and an old woman. Of course, the most important character is the gingerbread man. He's the one who runs away. And then there's that sneaky fox. The old man and woman are sort of the start of the story, and the fox is the end for the gingerbread man.
The tattooed man is surely a central character. There may be characters that he meets in different settings. For instance, in a workplace, there could be colleagues who have different reactions to his tattoos. In his social life, there might be acquaintances or potential love interests. There could also be an older figure, like a mentor or a relative, who has some influence on his attitude towards his tattoos and his life in general.
Not having read 'the man on the train short story', it's difficult to determine the main characters precisely. The man on the train is surely a central figure. There could be a mysterious stranger sitting next to him, who is also a main character and whose actions or words drive the plot forward. Additionally, there might be a family on the train that the man interacts with, and they play an important role in the story as well.
The bicentennial man himself is of course the most important character. He is the one whose journey we follow throughout the story. Then there are the various human families he serves over the years. They play important roles in his development, some being more accepting of him than others.
I don't know the story, so I can't say for sure. But I assume the smiling man is one of the main characters.
I don't know for sure as I haven't read it. But surely there is the silent man himself. There might also be people around him like his family members, friends or colleagues who play important roles in the story as they interact with him and are affected by his silence.
Since I don't have the full story, it's hard to say exactly. However, if it's a typical short story, the main character would be the 'happy man' of course. He could be surrounded by other characters such as a wise old man who gives him advice on happiness, or a young child whose innocence makes him reflect on his own happiness. There could also be a love interest, a woman who plays a role in his emotional state and his perception of happiness.
I don't know the details of 'the telephone man short story', but it's reasonable to assume that the central character is the telephone man. There may be characters who depend on the telephone service he provides, such as an elderly person who needs the phone to stay in touch with relatives. Additionally, there could be a rival or a helper in his professional field, someone who either competes with him or assists him in his work with the telephone.
Obviously, there is the terrible old man himself. There may also be other characters like the neighbors who are curious or afraid of him.