Roland Weary
A young soldier whose heroic fantasies turn Billy into the target of his anger.
To see himself as a heroic warrior and make Billy responsible when reality contradicts that identity.
The book
At a glance
- United States
- Fellow soldier
- Heroic war stories
Who they are in the book
Spoiler-freeWeary is overloaded with equipment and imagines himself as part of a noble band of fighters. Billy’s helplessness threatens that story, so Weary recasts him as the cause of every failure.
His self-dramatizing version of war contrasts with the novel’s emphasis on frightened, exhausted children.
How the book draws them
- Stocky young soldierHis build contrasts with Billy’s thinness.
- Overloaded uniformExcess equipment reflects his fantasy of preparedness.
- Self-important expressionHe expects history to recognize him.
- Tense jawHumiliation quickly becomes rage.
- Close engraved bustNo weapons dominate the portrait.
- Burnt umber accentA distinct earth tone suits his heaviness.
Weary dies after capture and tells Paul Lazzaro that Billy caused his death. That accusation leads to Lazzaro’s promise of revenge.
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