Aram is a nine-year-old boy of Armenian descent living on the edge of town in Fresno, California. He views the world with childhood innocence and wonder, seeing life as a mysterious dream. Despite his family's extreme poverty, he maintains a deep fascination with horses and struggles to reconcile his family's strict reputation for honesty with his cousin's sudden acquisition of a magnificent animal.

Mourad is Aram's older cousin who carries a family reputation for being unstable and reckless. He possesses a deep connection with animals, demonstrating a gentle ability to calm wild horses, heal injured birds, and keep farm dogs quiet. He justifies his actions through an unconventional sense of logic that separates borrowing a horse for riding from actual theft.

Khosrove is an imposing, loud man of Armenian descent who responds to almost any situation by roaring for people to pay no attention to it. His abrasive exterior masks a deep sorrow stemming from his forced displacement from the Armenian homeland. He uses volume and interruption as coping mechanisms for his homesickness and grief.

John Byro is an Assyrian farmer living in the Fresno area who learned to speak Armenian out of a desire for community connection. He relies on his horse for transportation and farming, making its disappearance a significant hardship. He values community harmony and familial honor over direct confrontation.

Aram's mother is a member of the Garoghlanian household who understands the emotional weight carried by the older generation of immigrants. She acts as a translator for her family's eccentricities, ensuring others see the pain beneath their abrasive actions.