# Benito Garral — The Giant Raft character guide > Benito Garral in The Giant Raft by Jules Verne. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Benito, Garral, Mr. Benito, Mr. Benito Garral, Benito Dacosta, Mr. Benito Dacosta **First appearance:** 0003-iii-the-garral-family ## Snapshot Joam Garral's impulsive, brave son, who helps run the family's river trade and keeps a wary eye on the suspicious stranger aboard the raft. ## Who they are Benito is the energetic young Garral who manages the commercial side of the jangada voyage and takes charge when action is needed. He is quick to trust and quicker to act, whether hunting game along the banks or confronting the unease Torres stirs in the family. His loyalty to his father and sister makes him the story's forward-driving force, forever pushing toward the truth behind the mystery. ## Relationships ### [Manoel Valdez](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/characters/manoel_valdez) _friendship_ Benito and Manoel are close friends and allies, often working together to protect the Garral family. ### [Torres](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/characters/torres) _rivalry_ Benito is fiercely protective of his father and actively opposes Torres, viewing him as a dangerous enemy. ### [Joam Garral](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/characters/joam_garral) _family_ Benito is Joam's devoted son, deeply loyal and willing to risk everything to clear his father's name. ### [Padre Passanha](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/characters/padre_passanha) _friendship_ Padre Passanha is a close family friend and spiritual advisor to Benito, offering guidance and support. ### [Joam Dacosta](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/characters/joam_dacosta) _friendship_ Benito befriends Joam Dacosta, working together to unravel the truth behind the false accusations. ### [Fragoso](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/characters/fragoso) _friendship_ Benito and Fragoso share a friendly, loyal bond, with Fragoso often assisting Benito in his plans. ### [Padre Passanha](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/characters/padre_passanha) _friendship_ Padre Passanha is a close family friend and spiritual advisor to Benito, offering guidance and support. ### [Torres](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/characters/torres) _rivalry_ Benito is fiercely protective of his father and actively opposes Torres, viewing him as a dangerous enemy. ### [Manoel Valdez](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/characters/manoel_valdez) _friendship_ Benito and Manoel are close friends and allies, often working together to protect the Garral family. ### [Manoel Valdez](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/characters/manoel_valdez) _friendship_ Benito and Manoel are close friends and allies, often working together to protect the Garral family. ### [Joam Garral](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/characters/joam_garral) _family_ Benito is Joam's devoted son, deeply loyal and willing to risk everything to clear his father's name. ### [Joam Dacosta](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/characters/joam_dacosta) _friendship_ Benito befriends Joam Dacosta, working together to unravel the truth behind the false accusations. ## In the story ### [Part I: Eight Hundred Leagues on the Amazon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/part-i-eight-hundred-leagues-on-the-amazon) Joam's son, involved in the family's preparations and journey. ### [Robber and Robbed](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/ii-robber-and-robbed) Benito is one of the two young hunters who appear in the forest. He points out the guariba to his companion Manoel, who then shoots the monkey. Benito retrieves the metal case from the monkey's hand and returns it to Torres. ### [The Garral Family](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/iii-the-garral-family) Son of Joam and Yaquita, aged twenty-one, educated in Belém, cheerful and brave, close friend of Manoel Valdez. ### [IV: Hesitation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/iv-hesitation) Enthusiastically supports the marriage and the journey, having already spoken to his mother about it. ### [The Amazon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/v-the-amazon) Enthusiastically describes the Amazon's scale and significance. ### [A Forest on the Ground](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/vi-a-forest-on-the-ground) Assists his father in the work and begins his apprenticeship as a fazender and merchant. ### [Following a Liana](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/vii-following-a-liana) Leads the group and proposes following the liana as an object for the walk. ### [VIII: The Jangada](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/viii-the-jangada) Participates in the discussion about arranging the raft and jokingly suggests planting trees on it. ### [The Evening of the Fifth of June](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/ix-the-evening-of-the-fifth-of-june) Appointed commander-in-chief of the jangada's cellar; present during the launch. ### [From Iquitos to Pevas](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/x-from-iquitos-to-pevas) Engages in hunting along the riverbanks, shooting game for the table while sparing herons and ibises for his sister Minha. ### [From Pevas to the Frontier](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/xi-from-pevas-to-the-frontier) Teases Lina about the legend; goes ashore at Loreto to trade for sarsaparilla. ### [Fragoso at Work](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/xii-fragoso-at-work) Has previously set foot in a Brazilian town. ### [Torres](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/xiii-torres) Recognizes Torres from the Iquitos forest and invites him to join the jangada. ### [XIV: Still Descending](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/xiv-still-descending) He explains how he met Torres and goes hunting with Manoel, bringing back an anteater; he also engages in bartering at San Pablo d'Olivença. ### [XV: The Continued Descent](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/xv-the-continued-descent) Benito identifies the noise of turtles laying eggs on the beach and anticipates a treat for the group. ### [XVI: Ega](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/xvi-ega) Steers the pirogue to Ega, teases his mother and sister about their wonder at the town. ### [An Attack](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/xvii-an-attack) Expresses deep suspicion of Torres and shares his fears with Manoel; later shoots and kills one of the attacking caymans. ### [XVIII: The Arrival Dinner](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/xviii-the-arrival-dinner) Quietly observes Torres during the dinner, suspicious of his intentions. ### [Ancient History](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/xix-ancient-history) Benito is suspicious and hostile toward Torres, vowing that Torres must leave the jangada at Manaus and threatening to kill him if harm comes to his father. ### [XX: Between the Two Men](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/xx-between-the-two-men) Witnesses the confrontation and threatens to throw Torres overboard, supporting his father's authority. ### [Part II: The Cryptogram](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/part-ii-the-cryptogram) Benito is likely involved in the effort to have the cryptogram deciphered, as it concerns his father's life. ### [II: The First Moments](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/ii-the-first-moments) Vows to find Torres and demand the truth about his father's secret. ### [VI: The Last Blow](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/vi-the-last-blow) Resolved to find Torres and confront him; fights and kills Torres in a duel. ### [Resolutions](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/vii-resolutions) Overwhelmed with guilt for killing Torres and destroying his father's last hope; eventually rallies to search for the document. ### [VIII: The First Search](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/viii-the-first-search) Leads the search with fierce determination, refusing to despair despite the day's failure. ### [IX: The Second Attempt](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/ix-the-second-attempt) Determined to dive himself to find Torres' body, showing his resolve and courage. ### [X: A Cannon Shot](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/x-a-cannon-shot) Dives repeatedly into the river to find Torres' body, enduring extreme pressure and a gymnotus attack. ### [XI: The Contents of the Case](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/xi-the-contents-of-the-case) Dives to recover Torres's body, is attacked by a puraque and nearly drowns, but is revived. He is desperate to retrieve the metal case and prove his father's innocence. ### [The Document](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/xii-the-document) Vows to decipher the document, encourages his father to have confidence. ### [XIV: Chance!](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/xiv-chance) His struggle with Torres and the subsequent search for the body contributed to the change in public opinion. ### [XV: The Last Efforts](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/xv-the-last-efforts) Overwhelmed by guilt for killing Torres, he attempts suicide but is stopped by Manoel and Judge Jarriquez. ### [XVI: Preparations](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/xvi-preparations) Plans the escape with Manoel, studies the prison, and reassures his mother Yaquita. ### [The Last Night](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/xvii-the-last-night) Desperate to save his father, Benito cuts through the window bars and tries to force Joam to escape, but is ultimately thwarted by Joam's refusal. ### [XX: The Lower Amazon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/xx-the-lower-amazon) Recovers his former good humor; present at the weddings. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/characters/benito_garral - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/characters