Antagonist

Character Role Analysis

Vietnam War

Usually, we think of an antagonist as a "bad" guy. This is true in lots of books, but the antagonist can also be a concept or idea that the protagonist is fighting against. Jamie doesn't have a resident tormentor in her life, nor is she up against one person who thwarts her every move. Instead, the Vietnam War creates all of her problems. Not only does it take her brother away and keep him hostage for two years, it forces her to seriously reconsider her notions of war. It's an uphill climb for Jamie, and she's fighting it against Nam all the way.