Tree-ear
The author has portrayed the main character Tree-ear as an orphan boy who is very much intrigued by the art of pottery. He has worked under Min who is diligent in the art of pottery as a servant to gain the knowledge of making pots. He has learned pottery with much exertion and struggles to keep up the honesty and goodness even at troublesome occasions. All through the novel, it can be perceived that he is affectionate to Crane-man and remains as a good man by following Crane-man’s way of life.
Crane-man
Crane-man has a distorted leg and can stand on his one leg like bird Crane, so the author named him Crane-man to signify his physical disability. He is a destitute man who eats food from garbage heaps. He is a virtual man and never drives his life in the wrong way. Though he is homeless, he has helped the orphan boy Tree-ear by providing him food and haven. Tree-ear considers him as a father and develops his personality by following the virtues that he has learned from him. He passed away in a mishap of the bridge collapse.
