Characterization Richie Perry, the novel's protagonist, enlists in the army mainly to escape his problems--a bad relationship with his mother, a lack of opportunity in Harlem, and an uncertainty about his future. He finds himself in the middle of a war that is more confusing and traumatic than the life he fled. Richie's understanding of his part in the war is unknown to him. This shows that Richie is ambiguous about himself. He also says, "…showed first 75 words of 526 total…

…showed last 75 words of 526 total…wars. Most of you aren't old enough to vote yet." He tells the soldiers this after the prayer for Jenkins. Him telling the soldiers that he shows them that he is sensitive towards them. He feels bad about them because the soldiers are really young and are already put to fight in war, instead of living in their homes with their family and friends. With this he also showed that he was a kind person.