Leon Trout

Leon Trout is the narrator of the novel. He is the son of science fiction writer Kilgore Trout, and he runs away from home when he is sixteen. Leon joins the US Marines and goes to fight in Vietnam. During Vietnam, Leon shoots an old woman who has just blown up his best friend and worst enemy in the platoon with a grenade. After this, he is hospitalized for psychological reasons and wants to sleep all the time. Meanwhile, the army officials want him to hush up the incident.

Leon contracts syphilis and goes to a private doctor to keep his condition from the military. The doctor is the only person Leon ever meets who has heard of his father's writing. After Leon breaks down in the doctor's office, the doctor offers to arrange political asylum for Leon in Sweden. Leon deserts the Marines and goes to...