Kim · Character
Kim
A streetwise Irish orphan raised in Lahore who can pass as native or sahib, he stumbles into the Great Game of espionage while searching for his own identity.
major
Also known as Kimball O'Hara, Kim Rishti Ke, Kim of the Rishti, young O'Hara, Mister O'Hara
First appearance: Chapter I: The Wonder House and the Lama
Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.
Kim is a bazaar child who speaks Urdu better than English and belongs fully to neither the colonizers nor the colonized. When he attaches himself to a Tibetan lama as a chela, his talent for disguise and mimicry draws…
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The fuller portrait of Kim sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.
See Kim in Chapter I: The Wonder House and the LamaCharacter Web
63 connectionsA slice of how Kim sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Friendship
- Other
Character groups
- Protagonist
- Spymasters and Trainers
- Minor Characters and Symbols
+58 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Closing
This is the story's dramatic climax because Kim experiences an emotional and psychological peak of submission…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingRelationships
- Teshoo Lama
friendship · positive
- Mahbub Ali
professional · ambivalent
- Lurgan Sahib
professional · ambivalent
- Father Victor
social · positive
- Colonel Creighton
professional · ambivalent
- Hurree Chunder Mookerjee
professional · positive
- The Frenchman
rivalry · negative
- The Bull
psychological · ambivalent
- The Old Lady
friendship · positive
- Teshoo Lama
friendship · positive
- Lurgan Sahib
professional · ambivalent
- Mahbub Ali
professional · ambivalent
Relationship notes
How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.
See Kim in Chapter I: The Wonder House and the LamaIn the story
Kim appears across 15 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
- Chapter I: The Wonder House and the Lama
- Chapter II: The Prophecy of the Red Bull
- Chapter III
- On the Grand Trunk Road
- The Lama's Grief and Kim's Destiny
- Chapter VI
- The Gates of Learning
- The Road to Simla
- +7 more
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for Kim unlock in the free preview.
See Kim in Chapter I: The Wonder House and the Lama