characters Flashcards
(13 cards)
Tim O’Brien
Narrator and protagonist
Kiowa
O’Brien’s close friend. Moral compass in the platoon. Dies in Speaking of courage. represents dignity and spirituality in war
Norman Bowker
Central character in Speaking of courage. Suffers silently from guilt over Kiowa’s death and post-war alienation. symbolizes the psycholofical aftermath of war
Ted Lavender
Dies in The Things They Carried. His sudden death symbolizes the randomness of death in war
Lieutenant Jimmy Cross
Platoon Leadr in The Things They Carried. Distracted by Martha and blames himself for Ted Lavender’s death. Represents the burden of leadership and emotional disconnection
Rat Kiley
Tells disturbing stories in How to Tell A True War. Represents the emotional extremes soldiers face.
Curt Lemon
Dies in How to tell a true war story. His death prompts O’Brien to reflect on how war stories are told.
Linda
Appears in the Lives of the Dead. O’Brien’s childhood love died of a brain tumor. Symbolizes O’Brien’s first experience with death and how storytelling helps him cope
The Magistrate
Protagonist and narrator, a civil servant of the Empire. Experiences moral awakening; resists Empire’s cruelty; symbol of conscience and guilt
Colonell Joll
Empire official; enforcer of interrogation and torture. Embodies the violence and blindness of imperial power (literally and figuratively)
The Barbarian Girl
Torture victim cared for by the Magistrate. Symbol of the Empire’s cruelty and the Magistrate’s inner conflict and guilt
The Empire
Not a person, but an ever-present force. Represents colonialism, oppression, and the fear of the unknown
The Barbarian Tribes
Indigenous people targeted by the Empire. Remain mostly silent; symbolic of the “other” and the victims of imperialism
