Character Analysis
These are the folks that Eragon grows up with, the village-people (not The Village People) of Carvahall. Sure, they may not be all refined and sophisticated like the people of Teirm, but they're good, down-to-earth people. Well… most of them, anyway.
Garrow
Garrow is Eragon's uncle, the brother of Eragon's mother Selena. See, Selena left little Eragon at Garrow's farm without an explanation. Lucky for E, Garrow and his wife at the time, Marian, were good enough people to raise Eragon as their own. This is known in the biz as the "Luke Skywalker arrangement," named for when Luke's Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru raised him as their own son in Star Wars. (Editors' note: Not really.)
All this ends up great for Eragon, since he's given a home and a family. For Garrow, though? Well, his reward is having his farm blown to bits and being tortured to death by the Ra'zac. We guess it could have turned out better for him.
Despite his tragic end, though, Garrow is a wise and stable father-figure in Eragon's life, as evidenced by this advice that he gives both his own son, Roran, and his nephew Eragon: "Treat all fairly or they will seek revenge. Be careful with your money. Hold fast to your beliefs and others will listen" (9.10). That's good advice all right.
Can you find any parts of the book where Eragon follows his uncle's lead?
Horst
Horst is the gentle giant of a blacksmith. He has the village over for meals, helps Eragon out by buying meat for him when Sloan won't sell, and generally looks out for Eragon's best interests. When Uncle Garrow is attached by the Ra'zac, he's treated at Horst's house. And that's where he ultimately draws his last breath. Still, for all of his kindness, Eragon doesn't tell Horst about his dragon. Do you think he should have?
Katrina
Katrina is Sloan's daughter. She tries to stand up for Eragon when Sloan is being a jerk-face to him, but it does no good. She's also the apple of Roran (Eragon's cousin)'s eye. He takes his millers apprenticeship so that he can earn some dough and marry the girl. Good luck with that father-in-law, Roran.
Roran
Roran is Eragon's cousin and Garrow's natural son. He's a hard worker, and likely the only friend Eragon has ever known before he leaves Carvahall. Still, Roran's got other designs. He leaves to take an apprenticeship with a miller in Thereinsford. His departure is the first change in Eragon's world, which troubles our hero. Soon, though, bigger changes come, leaving Eragon to navigate them without his cousin's help.
Sloan
Here's an analogy for you: Sloan: Eragon :: Newman : Seinfeld. Remember Newman, that really annoying jerk who never helped anyone but himself? Yeah, Sloan's that kind of jerk. He actually tells the Ra'zac about Eragon and the egg, so is in a small way responsible for leading them to Uncle Garrow. What a… jerk! We understand that his wife might have died some time ago, but geez. Don't take it out on Eragon, man.