Character Analysis
Abuela
In the novel's beginning, Abuela has been a worker on the Grady ranch for fifty years, having taken care of John's mother and uncles as they grew up. "Abuela" simply means grandmother in Spanish, and her proper name is never given. When told that the ranch is being sold, she seems quietly resigned. John makes it back to Texas from Mexico in time for her funeral, which is the last event in the novel before John heads off into the desert. Although we are never told much about Abuela, his tears make it clear how much he meant to her.
Antonio
One of Don Héctor's ranch hands, he makes a difficult journey to Lexington in order to pick up a fancy horse. Of all the other ranch workers, he is closest to John Grady, since they conspire together to get John more time riding the horse from Lexington, and John asks him for advice about women. Antonio also lets John secretly stay the night on his return to the ranch after being in prison.
The Captain
He's the captain of the prison in the town of Encantada and an all-around Jerkey McJerkerson. Straight up: the captain is one of the least sympathetic characters in the novel. While Alfonsa has good reason to be suspicious of John Grady and purports to act in her grandniece's interests, and the knife-wielding cuchillero acts without malice, the captain has a sadistic streak, and seems to consider only himself and what favors he may earn.
The Cuchillero
The cuchillero is a hired knife-fighter who attempts to kill John in the mess hall of the Saltillo prison. There is no hate or anger in him as he strikes, and his horrible history can only be guessed at through his eyes.
Don Héctor Rocha y Villareal
Don Héctor is the hacendado, or ranch owner, of La Hacienda de Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción, where John and Rawlins spend some months working with horses. He is also the father of Alejandra. He's skeptical of the European education received by Alfonsa, and claims that all the reason and philosophy she learned there is simply the sort that causes people to fight each other. He is a man steeped in tradition and has a complex view of religion.
John's Dad
John's father, whose name we never learn, appears early in the novel, having become a shell of his former self after his brutal experiences in World War II. He smokes frequently, coughs, and conveys a general air of sickness; he passes away due to illness while John is in Mexico. After the cuchillero nearly kills John, he somehow already knows that his father died.
John's Mom
John's mom is an actress whose tastes never truly meshed with that of John's father. The one thing they have in common is that neither one gets a name. She seems uninterested and confined by ranch life, and her interactions with John seem cold, likely due in part to her decision to sell the ranch. John simply refers to her as "she" in conversation with his father.
The Judge
The judge who adjudicates John's dispute with some men who claim Blevins' horse primarily serves to legitimize John's actions in the novel and to serve as a forum to recap and marvel over John's exploits.
Pérez
Pérez is a bigshot in the Saltillo prison, who seems to have a measure of control over what happens there despite his confinement. The narrator hints that he chooses to remain in the prison voluntarily, possibly for political and safety reasons. He is intrigued by John Grady and tries to tempt him into revealing more about himself and possibly bringing him into his fold, but John stands firm.
Reverend Jimmy Blevins
Although Reverend Jimmy Blevins is the original owner of his name, he seems perhaps the least authentic character in the novel. When John Grady meets him for dinner, Blevins gives him a boilerplate speech about his own greatness, as if John was another pilgrim instead of a man in search of answers about the horse of his dead companion of the same name. The narrator notes Reverend Blevins's excessive eating, and his gluttony combines with his excessive self-interest to form a rather unflattering portrait. He excuses himself from dinner, saying he has to get back to his holy work, but is soon heard snoring in the other room.