Character Analysis
There's no one quite like Kiowa Brazeau. A worldly man of prodigious intelligence and surprising sensitivity, he proves to be the secret ace in Hugh Glass's back pocket.
The Babbler of Babel
Unlike many of his peers, Kiowa shows a striking lack of prejudice. He has a Sioux wife, for starters—which doesn't necessarily mean that he's unprejudiced, but it is a good start. Yellow Horse, who isn't fond of Fort Brazeau at all, nevertheless says that "Kiowa and his Sioux wife had always treated him honestly" (1.15.27). That's not exactly a rousing endorsement, but Yellow Horse would surely have had harsher words for the schmucks at Fort Talbot, for example.
Of course, there's a practical side to this. As a businessman, Kiowa knows that the frontier is home to countless communities, each of which needs to be treated respectfully and with an individual touch. As a result, his "facility with language was an asset for a trader amid the frontier Babel" (1.15.39). He's also a sharply intelligent fellow to boot—you wouldn't be able to speak half a dozen languages otherwise.
Frontier Bromance
Surprisingly, this charming Frenchman finds a kindred spirit in the pathologically serious Hugh Glass. It makes sense, though, when you think about it. These guys both admire Native American culture. They both love exploration. They both share an intelligence far beyond what the typical dingbat who ends up on the frontier has. For his part, Kiowa identifies their similarities immediately and finds himself "hungry at the rare opportunity for intelligent conversation" upon meeting Glass (1.15.107).
The bond between these two men leads Kiowa to bail Glass out of jail at the end of the novel. After freeing his friend, Kiowa begs him to forget about Fitzgerald—to enjoy life rather than waste it on a suicidal revenge quest. And guess what? That's what Glass finally does. These words might not mean much coming from someone else, but they hold water for Glass simply because they come from Kiowa Brazeau.