How Steel Was Tempered was a famous Soviet novel that described the growth of the protagonist, Pavel Kochagin, in the process of the Soviet Union's industrialization. Pavel's relationship with Kochagin included: 1 Alexander Khrushchev: The classmate of the male protagonist of the novel, Paul, played an important role in the process of the Soviet Union's industrialization and was one of the leaders of the steel industry. 2 Yuri Vladimir Gagarian: Paul's friend and colleague was a famous astronaut who performed well in space flight. 3 George Hermand: Paul's mentor and colleague was a senior official with rich industrial experience and knowledge. Marina Kabolov: Paul's wife was a worker's daughter, who gave him a lot of support and help during his growth. These characters all played important roles in the novel and had a profound impact on Paul's growth and fate.