Guide Mentor

Character Role Analysis

Sergeant Elias

Elias is the voice of reason in this film. He's the guy who helps Taylor adjust as much to the realities of trekking through the jungle (he tells Taylor early on that he's carrying way too much junk with him into the "bush") as to the realities of the war itself. Elias points out that the United States is doomed to lose the war (Taylor would have probably realized this on his own eventually), and he mentors Taylor by his actions. He refuses to allow Barnes to commit atrocities, he vows to file a report, and calls out Lieutenant Wolfe for doing nothing about Barnes' actions at the village.