characters

Character List For If I Die In A Combat Zone

Tim O’Brien is the narrator and author of this book. He is the main character; a dynamic character meaning that he changes thought the book. He starts the book as a soldier and then tells how he became a soldier.

Erik meets Tim at Fort Lewis in mid-August in 1968 and become friends. Erik is very philosophical. He cornered the company drill sergeant, a fellow called Blyton.

Drill Sergeant Blyton is one of the most hated people in this book. Although he was only in a few chapters, he really fits the drill sergeant stereotype. He’s hated, cold, vicious, and pushes the trainees to do better.

“Mad Mark was the platoon leader, a first lieutenant and a Green Beret ” (81). He’s insanely calm, never shows fear, “a professional soldier, an ideal leader of men in the field” (81). He uses a shotgun, not very accurate or lethal over fifty yards away. “You must hit one, on the first shot, and the hit must kill” (82).

Captain Johansen is smart, liked by Alpha Company, brave and a hero, or at least Tim thought.

Captain Smith “looked like a grown-up Spanky of ‘ Our Gang’ ”(148). He’s short and fat. He took an instant liking to Tim. “His sense of direction was absurdly bad. We were late arriving at objectives. He was never certain where eh was or where to go to next … he would sometimes motion at a piece of the sky, predicting the round would burst there; then the explosion would come directly in back of him. He would chuckle and holler at his platoon leaders for getting him lost” (158-159). He also gets relieved of his command of Alpha Company.

“ Major Callicles looked like an ex-light-heavyweight champ. He Had a head like a flattened 105 round, a thick, brown neck, bristling stalks of hair, bloodshot eyes, a disdain for pansies” (191.) He hates moustaches, prostitution, pot, and sideburns. He drinks a lot especially after the My Lai investigation.