Bamboo People

Chiko’s first friend at the military training center, Tai is a supporting character who complements Chiko’s intelligence and strength. A street orphan, Tai is tough, resourceful, clever, and skilled at acting; he’s devoted to his younger sister and is determined to escape and reunite with her. While he’s quick to find solutions to seemingly impossible problems (for example, using buffalo to expedite work), he can be stubborn and determined, focusing on a single solution when more effective options may exist.

Although he’s overt in his gestures of friendship (e.g., saving supplies), he remains cynical and jaded toward others. This quality allows him to resist the captain’s propaganda, but he doesn’t empathize as directly as Chiko does with the scapegoated Karenni. In addition, he has difficulty meeting others at their level: While he’s willing to teach others his strategies (for example, demonstrating how to make a bamboo sling), he becomes frustrated and dismissive when they don’t mirror his level of intelligence (like the sergeant).

Although Tai understands the value and benefits of literacy, he’s initially reluctant to learn. When he finally applies himself, he progresses quickly, and it becomes a source of both motivation and distraction. He’s open and willing to help Chiko to any extent necessary, even going to solitary for him but is reluctant to accept help from others. By the epilogue—via a character arc the narrative doesn’t reveal because of Chiko’s separation from him—Tai is able to accept work, assistance, and housing from Chiko’s family, which helps him create a better life, with greater opportunities, for himself and his sister.

Originally an illiterate rice farmer, the captain is a bully by nature. He prefers to rule via manipulation and intimidation, and uses favoritism to gather loyal followers, whom he calls his “sons.” He’s sadistic, punishing Chiko and Tai at every opportunity because they resist his control. The captain’s role in the novel is to represent the martial law regime: He spreads propaganda that demonizes ethnic groups like the Karenni, supports violence against ethnic groups even within his own soldiers, and encourages mistrust and paranoia among his subordinates. Through these strategies, he continues to divide and conquer within the military junta, much like the military does to prevent protestors and ethnic peoples from uniting and allying against them.

Tu Reh, the novel’s other protagonist, is a 16-year-old Karenni youth who seeks his father’s approval but struggles with anger and hatred toward the Burmese military for forcibly displacing him and his family. He’s best friends with Sa Reh and develops feelings for Ree Meh.

Tu Reh’s main character development centers on his relationship with Chiko and his Karenni identity. Initially, Tu Reh swears vengeance on the Burmese—and Chiko, by extension. To that end, he wants Chiko to die; however Tu Reh’s empathy and the mercy of his father (Peh) sway him. Tu Reh constantly questions his decisions and motivations, swinging from empathy to regret multiple times throughout the novel. He wants to be considered a man but searches for what that means, both as an individual and as a member of his community.

With the support of Ree Meh, her grandfather, and Auntie Doctor, Tu Reh eventually finds an answer that allows him to be both friends with Chiko and a proud Karenni. He expresses this alignment by offering Chiko his most precious possessions: a bamboo pole and his mule. Tu Reh’s coming-of-age arc is his journey to overcome his blatant hatred in favor of cross-cultural friendship. This method is more effective than killing. By learning and accepting this, he becomes an independent Karenni man that his father would approve of.

Ree Meh and Nya Meh’s grandfather plays a significant part in the story as a role model for Tu Reh and a foil for Bu Reh. A devout Christian old enough to remember the British colonization of Burma, the grandfather uses Bible quotes to preach compassion and mercy to others, including Chiko. Tu Reh initially resists the grandfather’s advice but opens up to him when the grandfather carries a gun into the jungle during their journey to camp. Although the grandfather preaches mercy, he’s realistic enough to “decide for himself when to kill” (174).

The grandfather steadfastly supports Chiko’s care. He’s present for all major decisions regarding Chiko’s status at the camp, and his elder status ensures respect and influence in Karenni society. Although Bu Reh disagrees with the grandfather’s stance regarding Chiko, he still disciplines Sa Reh for disrespecting the grandfather during Chiko’s interrogation. The grandfather is a mentor to Chiko, assuring him that his family won’t care about the prosthetic leg (249).

Tu Reh’s best friend at camp and one of the most popular boys because of his humor and fighting skills, Sa Reh is a foil for Tu Reh’s character development. Like Tu Reh, Sa Reh was traumatized by the Burmese military through the capture, forced labor, and death of his mother. Afterward, he became angry and hateful, and he emulates Bu Reh’s execution attitude toward all Burmese soldiers, including Chiko. He thinks the worst of Chiko even when Chiko is at his weakest, and he rejects Tu Reh when he see Tu Reh’s empathy for Chiko.

Sa Reh likes Nya Meh, and insists that she follow and support his perspective, even if he’s blinded by it. His character growth begins only after he accidentally triggers Nya Meh’s trauma and begins to develop opinions and thoughts independent of his father. This growth allows him to salvage his relationship with Tu Reh.

Auntie Doctor is the camp medic and the only healer skilled enough to amputate limbs and treat amputees. She becomes Nya Meh’s teacher and transports Chiko to the prosthetic clinic. Like Nya Meh, Auntie Doctor is indiscriminate about helping patients and vehemently supports treating and aiding Chiko before sending him home. As she states, regardless of ethnicity, they’re all just “[b]oys in pain” (218).