The unnamed narrator is a soldier acting as a scout for the Republican army during the Spanish Civil War. His primary duty involves observing the enemy's advance and documenting the evacuation of civilians from the area. He processes his environment with emotional detachment, prioritizing his military mission over personal connections. His efficient, observant nature allows him to maintain necessary distance from the wartime suffering occurring directly in front of him.

The old man is a 76-year-old resident of San Carlos who is displaced by the approaching artillery. He lacks political affiliation and identifies simply as someone who takes care of animals. Deeply distressed by his forced evacuation, he struggles to adapt to the reality of the war and the unfamiliar prospect of life as a city-dweller in Barcelona.

The cat is a pet left behind in the evacuated town of San Carlos. According to the old man, the feline possesses natural independence and survival instincts. It requires less worry than the other abandoned livestock because it can look out for itself.

The two goats are animals left behind in San Carlos. Unlike the cat, they rely heavily on human care. Their abandonment causes the old man severe psychological distress, as they lack the natural ability to escape the artillery fire on their own.

The birds are domestic pigeons kept by the old man in San Carlos. He leaves their cage door open before evacuating so they can fly away from the incoming attack. The narrator later refers to them as doves, associating them with flight and survival.