# Red Man — Laughing Boy character guide

> Red Man in Laughing Boy by Oliver La Farge.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** II Red Man, Watching Red Man

**First appearance:** 0005-ii

## Snapshot

The sophisticated wrestler of Tsé Lani, once hopeful with Slim Girl, who now needles Laughing Boy with smiling implications about her past.

## Who they are

Red Man moves easily among the dances and trading circles, a self-willed Navajo who once thought Slim Girl might be his and who has not forgiven being used and then set aside. He adopts an attitude of smiling implications toward Laughing Boy, saying nothing outright but suggesting plenty, and the younger man feels the ground shift under him. When Laughing Boy finally rides up beside him at the water and tells him plainly to stop, Red Man studies him, decides he does not like the game that much, and backs off — for now.

## Relationships

### [Laughing Boy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/characters/laughing_boy)

_friendship_

Red Man is Laughing Boy's close friend and confidant, sharing adventures and a deep bond of mutual respect.

### [Slim Girl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/characters/slim_girl)

_rivalry_

Red Man distrusts Slim Girl and sees her as a corrupting influence on Laughing Boy, leading to open hostility.

### [Grandfather](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/characters/grandfather)

_family_

Grandfather and Red Man share a respectful familial bond, with Grandfather often seeking Red Man's help to watch over Laughing Boy.

### [Wounded Face](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/characters/wounded_face)

_friendship_

Red Man and Wounded Face are comrades, often hunting or traveling together and supporting each other in conflicts.

### [Laughing Boy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/characters/laughing_boy)

_friendship_

Red Man is Laughing Boy's close friend and confidant, sharing adventures and a deep bond of mutual respect.

### [Grandfather](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/characters/grandfather)

_family_

Grandfather and Red Man share a respectful familial bond, with Grandfather often seeking Red Man's help to watch over Laughing Boy.

### [Laughing Boy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/characters/laughing_boy)

_friendship_

Red Man is Laughing Boy's close friend and confidant, sharing adventures and a deep bond of mutual respect.

### [Slim Girl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/characters/slim_girl)

_rivalry_

Red Man distrusts Slim Girl and sees her as a corrupting influence on Laughing Boy, leading to open hostility.

### [Slim Girl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/characters/slim_girl)

_rivalry_

Red Man distrusts Slim Girl and sees her as a corrupting influence on Laughing Boy, leading to open hostility.

## In the story

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/chapters/i)

Challenged by Laughing Boy to wrestling; loses three falls and is mocked.

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/chapters/i)

Mentioned as the seller of a belt; Slim Girl notes that Laughing Boy sold Red Man's belt to an American.

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/chapters/iii)

Mentioned as the man Laughing Boy plans to gamble against; Slim Girl warns he is crooked.

### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/chapters/ii)

Hails Laughing Boy and boasts he will take his winnings; Laughing Boy avoids him.

### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/chapters/ii)

Seeks out Wounded Face to report the nephew's departure with the woman, using graphic sign language to describe her immoral livelihood.

### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/chapters/vii)

Confronted by Laughing Boy regarding Slim Girl's activities.

### [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/chapters/xii)

Confronted by Laughing Boy regarding Slim Girl's activities.

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/chapters/i)

Present at dances, uses smiling implications to cause trouble, but backs down after Laughing Boy's confrontation.

### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/chapters/ii)

Mentioned in Laughing Boy's drunken thoughts as someone who might know about Slim Girl's past.

### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/chapters/ii)

Mentioned by Slim Girl as a friend who helped her remember Navajo ways, though he hoped for a sexual relationship.

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/chapters/iii)

Ambushes and shoots Slim Girl out of jealousy and resentment.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/characters/red_man
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/laughing_boy_se/characters