Zitkála-Šá is a young Dakota Sioux girl whose coming-of-age is tracked through the collection's autobiographical sections. Initially spirited and free on her reservation, she asks to attend an eastern mission school after missionaries promise a magical "Red Apple Country." She soon feels alienated from both the Christian boarding school environment and her traditional home. As an adult, she works as a teacher before resigning to advocate directly for American Indian rights.

Zitkála-Šá's unnamed mother is a resilient and proud Dakota Sioux woman raising her children on the reservation. She carries the trauma of losing family members to diseases brought by White settlers. She staunchly warns her daughter against the empty promises of the missionaries, and her eventual struggles parallel the declining conditions on the reservation.

This unnamed Sioux man leaves his tribe to attend a mission school, where he adopts Christianity and the "soft heart of Christ." He returns to his village nine years later as an evangelist but finds himself completely alienated from his people. His inability to fulfill traditional roles like hunting leads to tragic consequences for his family.

A fierce Sioux warrior from the past whose story is recounted by his wife. After committing a murder in a fit of anger and jealousy, he submits to a deadly tribal trial involving riding a wild pony. He successfully completes the trial, demonstrating the community's contextual approach to justice and forgiveness.

A proud and capable Dakota woman from "A Warrior's Daughter." Raised in a traditional setting with stories of bravery, she grows into a powerful figure who embodies female empowerment. When an enemy tribe captures her betrothed, she uses her intelligence and physical strength to rescue him.

An American Indian woman working as a liaison between her people and the US government. She manages the complex space between indigenous culture and mainstream America, dedicating her days to welfare work and seeking to fulfill her grandfather's legacy of advocacy.

An aging, orphaned Sioux woman who lives in poverty and struggles to secure her land rights because she lacks written verification of her tribal lineage. She embodies the traditional hospitality of her people but is highly vulnerable to exploitation by dishonest individuals.

Two corrupt Sioux men who exploit government land allocation policies to swindle vulnerable members of their own tribe. They claim to help others secure land rights, but they only do so in exchange for exorbitant cuts of the property.

The respected head of a Sioux tribe who seeks to protect his people's land rights against unjust US government policies. He attempts to use bureaucratic channels to address grievances but increasingly feels the futility of working within a system that dispossesses his people.

Dawée is Zitkála-Šá's older brother who remains on the reservation. He finds work as a government clerk, but his position is later taken away and given to a White man. His situation demonstrates the systemic inequalities faced by the Sioux on their own land.

Judéwin is a young American Indian girl and a friend of Zitkála-Šá who attends the mission school. She attempts to help Zitkála-Šá manage the institution's strict rules, sometimes resulting in harsh misunderstandings due to the language barrier between the students and the staff.

A traditional Sioux warrior and father in "The Soft-Hearted Sioux." He hopes his son will embrace the warrior path and is deeply disappointed when the boy chooses Christianity. In his old age, he becomes deathly ill and starves while steadfastly rejecting the religious teachings his son attempts to preach.

A Sioux woman in "The Soft-Hearted Sioux" who adheres to tribal traditions. She eventually warns her evangelist son that his father will starve to death if he does not abandon his preaching and find food.

An elder Sioux woman who passes down tribal history and cultural values. She recounts the story of her husband's crime, his harrowing trial, and his ultimate redemption to her granddaughter.

A young Sioux girl in "The Trial Path" who listens to her grandmother's stories by the fire. Through these oral traditions, she learns about her family's history and the cultural principles of tribal justice.

A wild pony that features prominently in a community justice trial. After the trial is completed, the horse becomes a dear and constant companion to the man who rode him, remaining part of the family until the man's death.

A traditional Dakota warrior who demands strict adherence to tribal customs. He insists that any suitor wishing to marry his daughter must first prove their valor by bringing him the scalp of an enemy warrior.

A young Dakota warrior admired for his valor. He sets out on a highly dangerous mission against an enemy tribe to prove his worthiness to marry Tusee, but he requires saving after he is captured.

A Dakota medicine man who worked diligently to improve relations with the US government before passing away suddenly in Washington, D.C. He appears in a dream to offer his granddaughter a mysterious cedar chest containing a vision of hope.

The granddaughter of Chief High Flier, who assists him in drafting a formal written complaint to a prominent American woman regarding the handling of tribal land allocations.