In A Single Shard, each character has traits that changed from the beginning to the end. Tree-ear is an orphaned boy who lives in a small village on the West Coast of Korea and had a care-taker, Crane-man, that passed away. Tree-ear’s traits and personality changed throughout the book. Tree-ear’s features changed gradually from the beginning to the end.
In the beginning of the novel, Tree-ear was very independent. On page ten of A Single Shard it states, “Afterward, Tree-ear washed in the river and fetched a gourd of water for Crane-man, who never went into the river if he could help it; he hated getting his feet wet. Then Tree-ear set about tidying up the area under the bridge.” Crane-man was unable to do many things. According to page seven “The shriveled and twisted calf and feet he had been born with made sure of that.” Tree-ear had to do the things Crane-man could not, so Tree-ear learned how to be independent and do things on his own even though Crane-man raised him.
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Tree-ear worked for Min, a famous potter, to repay him. In return, Ajima fed him and Crane-man. Tree-ear and Crane-man stopped gleaning the fields therefore they started to depend on Ajima for food. According to page forty-one, “Bean curd tonight,” Crane-man would say, his eyes gleaming. With cucumber kimchee, as well. Truly a felicitous combination.” Tree-ear worked for Min, but he did not have to search for food like he used too. “As usual, he had eaten half of his meal at midday. On retrieving the bowl after the day’s work, he unwrapped he cloth as he always did, to check on the bowl’s contents. The bowl was full again. Tree-ear stared in surprise. He looked toward the house, but neither Min nor his wife was in sight. And every evening thereafter he returned to find the bowl full, with enough supper for both Crane-man and himself.” According to the bottom of page