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Quotes
Nat Hocken
The protagonist of the story, Nat is a World War II veteran with a disability who works part-time as a farmhand. A married father of two, he appreciates solitude, order, and the satisfaction of completing…
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Mrs. Hocken / Nat’s Wife
Nat’s wife is never named, and is highly dependent upon her husband throughout the story. She relies on Nat to clear their children’s bedroom of dead birds, secure their home, and repeatedly tell her…
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Mr. Trigg
A farmer who employs Nat, Mr. Trigg is a kind yet proud man. He drives Jill home from the bus stop to escape a flock of birds, but does not take the threat seriously…
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Mrs. Trigg
Mrs. Trigg is “a good-tempered woman” who, like her husband Mr. Trigg, is foolishly nonchalant about the birds. Upon greeting Nat following his first late-night tussle with the creatures, she dismisses his story as…
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Jill Hocken
Jill is Nat’s daughter and older child. Birds attack her and her younger brother Johnny in their bedroom in an early event that helps their father appreciate the threat the birds pose. Nat picks…
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Minor Characters
Johnny Hocken
Nat’s son and younger child. Birds break into his bedroom and attack him and his sister Jill, leaving scratches near his eyes.
Jim
A cowhand on Mr. Trigg’s household who appears uninterested in Nat’s story about tussling with the birds. Another illustration of the perils of pride, Nat finds Jim’s mutilated body in Mr. Trigg’s yard.
The Radio Announcer
The announcer to whom Nat and his wife listen for updates about the attacks. At first he sounds as if he considers the attacks to be a “joke,” but later reflects the seriousness of the situation.
The Phone Operator
The woman who receives Nat’s warning call about the birds. She sounds unconcerned, prompting Nat to worry how many more will fail to appreciate the danger they are in.
