Who and how do certain characters influence Tree-Ear's emotions and connections?
One reason for this is mentioned on page 95, where it says that Tree-Ear saw grief and rage in the potter's eyes. Min choked on his words and said, "You are not my son." This was because Min used to have a son, Hyung-gu, who had passed away.
Another reason is described on pages 121-126, where Hyung-gu was attacked by robbers who stole from him. He struggled and kicked, but was hit and slapped by the robbers. Their motive for stealing was greed, as they thought they would get something valuable, but it turned out to be worthless.
Lastly, on page 142, it is mentioned that Tree-Ear accidentally broke a bridge's railing while helping a farmer cross it. Crane-man