# Joam Garral — The Giant Raft character guide > Joam Garral in The Giant Raft by Jules Verne. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Joam, Garral, Yaquita Joam Garral, Yaquita Joam, This Joam Garral, The Joam Garral **First appearance:** 0003-iii-the-garral-family ## Snapshot The prosperous, respected fazender who builds an enormous jangada to carry his family down the Amazon, concealing a past that could destroy them all. ## Who they are Joam Garral is the patriarch of a thriving plantation at Iquitos, a man whose competence and generosity have made him beloved by family, servants, and neighbors alike. Yet his calm authority masks a buried identity, and the arrival of Torres threatens to expose what he has spent years protecting. His quiet struggle between duty to his family and the demands of his hidden past anchors the novel's central tension. ## Relationships ### [Torres](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/characters/torres) _rivalry_ Torres is a blackmailer and antagonist who threatens to expose Joam Garral's secret past, creating intense conflict. ### [Judge Jarriquez](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/characters/judge_jarriquez) _professional_ Judge Jarriquez is the magistrate handling Joam Garral's legal case, maintaining a formal and investigative relationship. ### [Manoel Valdez](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/characters/manoel_valdez) _family_ Manoel is engaged to Joam's daughter Minha, making him a future son-in-law and trusted family member. ### [Benito Garral](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/characters/benito_garral) _family_ Benito is Joam's devoted son, deeply loyal and willing to risk everything to clear his father's name. ### [Fragoso](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/characters/fragoso) _professional_ Fragoso is a devoted servant and barber to Joam Garral, serving the family with loyalty. ### [Joam Dacosta](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/characters/joam_dacosta) _psychological_ Joam Dacosta is the man whose identity Joam Garral assumed, creating a deep psychological burden of guilt and secrecy. ### [Padre Passanha](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/characters/padre_passanha) _friendship_ Padre Passanha is a trusted confidant and longtime friend to Joam Garral, offering moral support. ### [Torres](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/characters/torres) _rivalry_ Torres is a blackmailer and antagonist who threatens to expose Joam Garral's secret past, creating intense conflict. ### [Judge Jarriquez](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/characters/judge_jarriquez) _professional_ Judge Jarriquez is the magistrate handling Joam Garral's legal case, maintaining a formal and investigative relationship. ### [Torres](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/characters/torres) _rivalry_ Torres is a blackmailer and antagonist who threatens to expose Joam Garral's secret past, creating intense conflict. ### [Fragoso](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/characters/fragoso) _professional_ Fragoso is a devoted servant and barber to Joam Garral, serving the family with loyalty. ### [Manoel Valdez](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/characters/manoel_valdez) _family_ Manoel is engaged to Joam's daughter Minha, making him a future son-in-law and trusted family member. ## 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) The patriarch of the Garral family, planning the descent of the Amazon. ### [The Garral Family](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/iii-the-garral-family) The fazender of Iquitos, rescued by Magalhães, married to Yaquita, father of Benito and Minha; a man of upright character but with a hidden sadness. ### [IV: Hesitation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/iv-hesitation) Hesitates to leave the fazenda for the wedding journey to Belém, showing signs of deep-seated reluctance and sadness. ### [A Forest on the Ground](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/vi-a-forest-on-the-ground) Decides to descend the Amazon and oversees the construction of the jangada, regaining his former energy and activity. ### [VIII: The Jangada](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/viii-the-jangada) Directs the construction of the jangada, using his knowledge of the Amazon's seasonal water levels to plan the launch. ### [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) Oversees the critical moment of the jangada's launch, ensuring it is moored properly as the river rises. ### [From Iquitos to Pevas](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/x-from-iquitos-to-pevas) Keeps to himself, writing a mysterious essay, not sharing its contents even with Yaquita. ### [From Pevas to the Frontier](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/xi-from-pevas-to-the-frontier) Receives the Franciscan monk warmly; remains occupied with work on the jangada. ### [Fragoso at Work](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/xii-fragoso-at-work) Grants Fragoso permission to work; decides to stop at Tabatinga for 36 hours to rest the crew. ### [Torres](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/xiii-torres) Agrees to give Torres passage to Manaus, though Torres hesitates to shake his hand. ### [XIV: Still Descending](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/xiv-still-descending) The fazender who allows Torres on board out of humanity; he does not go ashore at San Pablo d'Olivença and pays close attention to Torres' questions about Manaus. ### [XVI: Ega](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/xvi-ega) Decides to join the excursion to Ega at the request of the ladies; later warns the crew about the Muras Indians. ### [An Attack](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/xvii-an-attack) Knocked over by a cayman's tail and nearly killed, but rescued by Torres. ### [XVIII: The Arrival Dinner](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/xviii-the-arrival-dinner) Taciturn at dinner; exchanges a fixed look with Torres when Torres mentions Tijuco. ### [Ancient History](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/xix-ancient-history) Joam listens calmly to Torres's story, but his bowed head and silence afterward suggest deep unease; he then agrees to a private meeting with Torres. ### [XX: Between the Two Men](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/chapters/xx-between-the-two-men) Remains calm under Torres's accusations, refuses the blackmail, announces Minha's immediate marriage to Manoel, and orders Torres off the jangada. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/characters/joam_garral - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_giant_raft_se/characters