Franklin is a sixteen-year-old Ojibway boy who prefers the quiet of the wilderness over formal schooling or city life. Raised by an older white farmer, he is a highly capable hunter and trapper who respects the natural world and honors the animals he hunts. He is self-sufficient and practical, traveling with his horse and an Enfield rifle. His estrangement from his alcoholic father creates internal tension, especially when asked to fulfill a heavy, traditional duty.

Eldon is Franklin's biological father, a man heavily worn down by a difficult life and severe alcoholism. Facing a terminal illness, he requests that his son take him into the wilderness for a traditional Ojibway warrior's burial facing East. He carries deep shame from his past, including his time as a soldier in the Korean War and his inability to raise his child. His final journey serves as an attempt to pass down his history and make peace with his failures.

Bunky is an older white farmer who took in Franklin as an infant when Eldon could not provide care. He teaches the boy how to hunt, farm, and honor the natural world with an honest morality. Though not Indigenous himself, he encourages Franklin to respect Ojibway traditions and view nature as holy. He acts with generosity and patience, providing stability in contrast to Eldon's unpredictable behavior.

Angie is a Cree woman and Franklin's deceased mother. She possesses a strong moral center and the ability to see the good in people, particularly the wounded men around her. Her choices in the past permanently tie the lives of Bunky, Eldon, and Franklin together. She views the world with intuition and seeks genuine connections with others.

Jimmy is a half-Indigenous man who becomes Eldon's closest companion during their early working years. The two form a tight bond through manual labor, eventually working together to move logs downriver before enlisting in the Canadian Army. They undergo a blood-brother ritual, solidifying a fierce loyalty to one another before serving in the Korean War.

Becka is an Indigenous woman living traditionally in the woods. She understands the spiritual and cultural purpose behind the men's journey without needing an explanation. She provides the travelers with food, hot tea, and special homemade medicine to ease Eldon's suffering.

Deirdre is a woman staying with Eldon in the rundown mill town. Despite the squalid conditions, she assists the father and son by purchasing the supplies they need for their trip into the wilderness.

Lester is a logging camp supervisor who pretends to befriend Eldon and Jimmy. He uses his position of power to get close to Eldon's mother and reveals himself to be physically abusive toward her, prompting a violent confrontation.

Shirl is a local woman who approaches Franklin when he first arrives in the polluted mill town. She directs him to where he can find his father's rooming house.