Chiko is a 15-year-old bespectacled Burmese boy from Yangon who loves reading and aspires to teach. After his father is arrested, Chiko tries to support his mother but is tricked and forcibly conscripted into the Burmese military. Because of his sheltered upbringing, he lacks basic physical survival skills but relies on his literacy, observation skills, and a photograph of his father to endure his harsh new reality.

The Captain is an illiterate former rice farmer who now commands a Burmese military training camp. He rules his conscripts through fear, favoritism, and manipulation, gathering loyal followers he calls his "sons." He frequently delivers speeches blaming ethnic minorities like the Karenni for Burma's civil unrest, violently punishing anyone who resists his absolute control.

Tu Reh is a 16-year-old Karenni boy whose home village was recently destroyed by Burmese soldiers, forcing his family to flee to a refugee camp in Thailand. He carries intense anger toward the Burmese military and seeks his father's approval. Armed with a bamboo pole salvaged from his village, Tu Reh questions his own morality when he unexpectedly encounters Burmese soldiers in the jungle.

Tai is a 15-year-old street orphan who is drafted into the Burmese military alongside Chiko. He is tough, resourceful, and desperate to escape the training camp to reunite with his younger sister. Recognizing Chiko's physical weakness, Tai barters his street smarts and survival strategies in exchange for learning how to read and write.

The Grandfather is a devout Christian elder who has lived long enough to remember the British colonization of Burma. He lives in a jungle hut with his granddaughters and uses biblical teachings to advocate for mercy and compassion. Despite his peaceful nature, he remains realistic about the dangers surrounding them and carries a weapon to protect his family.

Sa Reh is a popular Karenni boy and Tu Reh's best friend at the refugee camp. He dropped out of school to assist his father with camp defense. Traumatized by his mother's capture and death at the hands of the Burmese military, Sa Reh harbors a fierce hatred for all Burmese people and expects his friends to share his uncompromising views.

Auntie Doctor is the primary medical provider at the Karenni refugee camp and the only healer skilled enough to perform amputations. She views the casualties of war strictly as patients in need of care, disregarding their ethnicity or military affiliations in favor of their shared humanity.

Teacher is an educator at the Karenni refugee camp who lost a leg to a landmine but fully recovered to resume his profession. He demonstrates to his students and patients that physical disabilities do not prevent a person from living a meaningful, successful life.

Father is Chiko's dad, an educated, worldly doctor who studied in England. He was arrested by the Burmese government for treating a patient deemed an "enemy of the state." Before his arrest, he homeschooled Chiko and encouraged him to read widely, teaching him to respect diverse ethnic groups like the Karenni.

Mother is Chiko's parent, struggling to maintain her household after her husband's sudden imprisonment. Fearing for Chiko's safety, she desperately wants him to join a Buddhist temple to avoid military conscription, prioritizing his survival over a steady income.

Daw Widow is an influential, wealthy neighbor in Yangon. Though she cannot read or write, she possesses a vast intelligence network and uses her connections to gather information about imprisoned citizens. She supports Chiko's ambitions and provides him with photographs to keep his spirits up.

Lei is Daw Widow's daughter and Chiko's tutoring student. She relies on Chiko to learn how to read and shares a quiet, affectionate bond with him, addressing him with an honorific term that hints at her romantic feelings.

Sergeant U-Tha-Din is the commanding officer responsible for training the new recruits at the Burmese military camp. Although he is a former rice farmer and cannot read, he is practical and recognizes the value of Chiko's literacy, eventually making the boy his personal secretary to handle military correspondence.

Bindu is a young conscripted soldier at the Burmese training camp. He joins Tai in receiving secret literacy lessons from Chiko, demonstrating a willingness to improve his station despite the oppressive environment of the military camp.

Peh is Tu Reh's father and a respected Karenni man. He teaches his son critical thinking through the metaphor of bamboo, emphasizing that a tool can have many uses depending on the wielder. He encourages Tu Reh to act mercifully but insists that his son must make his own moral choices.

Ree Meh is a Karenni girl who lives with her sister and grandfather after being displaced from her home village by the Burmese military. Despite losing her home, she maintains a practical, helpful demeanor and assists Tu Reh when he arrives at their hut.

Nya Meh is a Karenni healer who lives with her grandfather and sister. She suffers from deep psychological trauma stemming from her previous capture by the Burmese military. Despite her trauma, she remains dedicated to her medical oath, treating anyone who requires aid.

Bu Reh is Sa Reh's father and the man in charge of weapons and defense at the Karenni refugee camp. Consumed by hatred for the Burmese military, he advocates for harsh, uncompromising retaliation against any Burmese soldiers discovered near their territory.