The protagonist, Masuji Ono, is a retired artist who regards himself as a man of influence. By the novel's conclusion, there is some uncertainty about his true significance to the war effort. Nevertheless, he firmly believes that his artistic contributions played a crucial role in supporting the war. His shifting feelings of pride and later disappointment reflect his evolving self-awareness.

Ono's daughters, Setsuko and Noriko, feature prominently throughout the story. The negotiations for Noriko's wedding drive much of the narrative. Ono anticipates an investigation by the prospective groom's family, a typical part of traditional Japanese arranged marriages. To prepare, he reaches out to acquaintances from his past who might be contacted by the investigator. He worries that his reputation as an artist who supported the war effort might impede the marriage arrangement. During Noriko's miai, a meeting between the potential bride, groom, and their families, Ono formally apologizes for his past actions.

The novel also follows some of Ono's former students, who have achieved various statuses in life and hold differing views regarding their past association with him. Shintaro, one of Ono's less promising students, still visits to drink with his old teacher at Mrs. Kawakami's establishment. However, during the story, he requests that Ono claim Shintaro only reluctantly created work for the imperialist movement, a request Ono is not willing to oblige at that time. Kuroda, one of Ono's most gifted students, has severed ties with him and refuses any contact, writing coldly, "I have no reason to believe that a meeting between us would produce anything of value." These rejections from his students push Ono towards acknowledging his own culpability.