Daru is a French schoolmaster born and raised in a remote, sparsely populated region of the Atlas Mountains in French colonial Algeria. Living a solitary, almost monastic lifestyle in a two-room structure that serves as both his home and classroom, he regularly distributes government food rations to impoverished local families. He possesses a strong internal moral compass and values free choice, identifying deeply with the harsh Algerian terrain despite his French citizenship.

Balducci is an older Corsican police officer with a bristling mustache, a sun-bronzed forehead, and small dark eyes. He operates strictly within the chain of command of the French colonial government, carrying out his official duties even when they make him personally uncomfortable. Despite his rigid adherence to protocol, he displays small gestures of consideration toward others and views Daru with paternal affection.

The Arab is an unnamed indigenous Algerian prisoner accused of killing his cousin during an altercation over grain. Dressed in a faded blue jellaba, he possesses dark, feverish eyes and a quiet demeanor. He speaks very little French, creating a linguistic and cultural barrier that isolates him from the authorities holding him in custody.