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James Robert Bell better known as The Idiot is a minor antagonist in Cormac McCarthy's 1985 horror/thriller crime and anti-Western epic novel Blood Meridian.
Biography[]
Before involuntarily joining Glanton's Gang, the Idiot served his brother Cloyce, who kept him locked in a cage for people to pay money to come see. After learning that they were going in the same direction that the Glanton Gang was going, the Judge and Glanton invited Cloyce and the Idiot to come along with them. Cloyce complied, and so both he and the Idiot joined the Gang.
The Judge took a liking to the Idiot, most likely because he is easy to manipulate. The Judge made the Idiot assist in many of his crimes, such as the rape of a young girl and the attempted murder of Tobin and the Kid.
After the attack by the Yumas, the Judge is seen walking through the desert with the Idiot, both naked, while the Judge held him by a leash, implying how much control the Judge has over him.
Like many characters in the novel, his fate is left unknown.
Trivia[]
- There are many similarities between the Judge and the Idiot, such as both often being seen naked, and them both mainly being referred to as a title (the Judge, the Idiot) rather than their real name.