Guide Mentor

Character Role Analysis

Birdy Morris

Tom gets advice, help, and wise words from many characters, including Polly Ann, Ox, Mr. Hook, and Billy-Bob, but the winner for the guide/mentor role is Birdy, hands down. When Tom first gets the idea that he'd like to better his life, he goes to Birdy to talk about it. Birdy is the one who tells him about the Breen barn, Birdy takes him to see the barn, and Birdy is at Tom's side teaching him the labor of taking down a barn and building it back up. Pretty mentor-y, right?

Plus, Birdy was there when the barn was first constructed on the Breen property, so the knowledge he passes on to Tom definitely has the feel of wisdom being passed through generations. That's a sure sign of a mentor right there.