No Country for Old Men Character Analysis

Sheriff Ed Tom Bell

The sheriff of Terrell County, Texas, and protagonist of the novel, Ed Tom Bell struggles to adapt to a changing world where senseless violence, greed, and corruption have become the norm. Bell is a man… read analysis of Sheriff Ed Tom Bell

Llewellyn Moss

A Vietnam Veteran, Llewellyn Moss is a strong willed and self-sufficient man. Moss stumbles upon a drug deal gone wrong and takes a briefcase full of drug money from the scene. This action sets in… read analysis of Llewellyn Moss

Anton Chigurh

The novels main antagonist, Anton Chigurh is a remorseless hit man who kills without hesitation. Anton Chigurh lacks a clear personal history, and is often described in the novel as looking exotic because of his… read analysis of Anton Chigurh

Carson Wells

A Vietnam veteran and hit man, Carson Wells is hired to track down Chigurh and find the missing briefcase. Wells has worked with Chigurh in the past and understands the danger Moss is in… read analysis of Carson Wells

Carla Jean Moss

The young wife of Llewellyn Moss, Carla Jean is a faithful and strong-willed young woman. Nineteen at the time of the narrative, she married Moss at sixteen after a premonition delivered to her in… read analysis of Carla Jean Moss

Loretta Bell

Sheriff Bell’s Wife, Loretta is a strong and spiritual woman. Through the novel she provides support for her husband, who often takes note of her spirituality and strong faith. Loretta is involved in her husband’s… read analysis of Loretta Bell

Uncle Ellis

Sheriff Bell’s uncle, Uncle Ellis is a retired sheriff who uses a wheelchair since being disabled by a gunshot wound in the line of duty. Ellis lives in the family homestead, and Bell visits him… read analysis of Uncle Ellis

Sheriff Lamar

A friend of Sheriff Bell’s and the sheriff in Sonoma, Texas, Lamar struggles with the grisly murders occurring in his county. The first man murdered in the novel, a young deputy, was one of Lamar’s… read analysis of Sheriff Lamar

David DeMarco

A young man who gives Chigurh his shirt after a car accident in exchange for one hundred dollars. After Chigurh leaves the scene of the accident, DeMarco and his unnamed friend steal a pistol from… read analysis of David DeMarco

The Young Hitchhiker

A young woman Moss picks up on the shoulder of the highway, the young hitchhiker is on her way to California. She and Moss have existential conversations about running from problems, and the inability to… read analysis of The Young Hitchhiker

Moss’s Father

A WWII veteran, Moss’s Father did his best to raise his son with good values. When Bell visits, Moss’s Father insists that Moss wasn’t involved in drugs; he wasn’t raised that way. Moss’s Father is… read analysis of Moss’s Father

Minor Characters

Torbert and Wendell

These men are Sheriff Bell’s deputies. Both men work with Bell on the investigation of the murders. Beyond their duties as deputies, these men offer support for Bell as he struggles to face the gruesome violence that has occurred in their community.

McIntyre

A DEA agent, McIntyre arrives by helicopter to investigate the scene of the botched drug deal. McIntyre is a detail oriented and sharp investigator. He and Sheriff Bell butt heads through the novel.

McIntyre

A DEA agent investigating the drug deal gone wrong.