Captain Corelli’s Mandolin

Captain Corelli’s Mandolin

by

Louis De Bernières

Alekos is a goatherd who lives in the mountains on Cephalonia. He descends to the villages only occasionally, and Dr. Iannis meets him in the mountains once per year to examine him and his goats. Alekos acts an outside, mostly unaffected observer of the war. He finds the explosions in the valleys beautiful and loves watching airplanes, and he's especially struck when an "angel," Bunny Warren, parachutes out of a plane and lands near Alekos. Alekos is thrilled when Bunnios allows him to keep the parachute. He's still alive at the end of the novel, though he's an exceptionally old man by that time.
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Alekos Character Timeline in Captain Corelli’s Mandolin

The timeline below shows where the character Alekos appears in Captain Corelli’s Mandolin. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 3. The Strongman
War: Horror, Beauty, and Humanity Theme Icon
High up on the Greek Mt. Aenos, Alekos the goatherd watches his goats around him and notices a valley burning down below. The... (full context)
War: Horror, Beauty, and Humanity Theme Icon
...house. There, Mandras falls madly in love with Pelagia at first sight. On Mt. Aenos, Alekos hears the boom and wonders if another war is starting. (full context)
Chapter 12. All the Saint's Miracles
War: Horror, Beauty, and Humanity Theme Icon
History and Storytelling Theme Icon
...entire body to the Cephalonians. They open his sarcophagus on two feast days per year. Alekos makes his way down the mountain for the feast, and Velisarios hopes that he'll win... (full context)
Chapter 18. The Continuing Literary Travails of Dr. Iannis
History and Storytelling Theme Icon
Family, Opportunity, and Gender Dynamics Theme Icon
...thought about goats, as it's nearly time to head up the mountain to check on Alekos and his flock. He thinks that the goats are determined to keep him from his... (full context)
Chapter 46. Bunnios
War: Horror, Beauty, and Humanity Theme Icon
At dawn, Alekos rises and picks up his rifle to check on his goats. He's already shot two... (full context)
War: Horror, Beauty, and Humanity Theme Icon
Power, Reality, and Absurdity Theme Icon
History and Storytelling Theme Icon
...speaks to God through a big metal box. God even talks back. After four days, Alekos motions to the angel and it follows him to Dr. Iannis's house. Because the angel... (full context)
Chapter 55. Victory
Politics and Friendship Theme Icon
That night, Alekos watches the battle from the mountain. Bunnios sits next to him talking into his radio,... (full context)
Chapter 57. Fire
War: Horror, Beauty, and Humanity Theme Icon
Politics and Friendship Theme Icon
...narrator notes that between four and nine thousand Italians were massacred in Cephalonia that day. Alekos looks down from the mountain and notices fires. When he smells burning hair, he wonders... (full context)
Chapter 73. Restitution
War: Horror, Beauty, and Humanity Theme Icon
Family, Opportunity, and Gender Dynamics Theme Icon
...a goat after hers was stolen and tells her that he got this one from Alekos on Mt. Aenos. Pelagia warms to the goat and agrees to keep it. The next... (full context)