Edwin B. Hillandale Character Analysis

Colonel Hillandale, also known as the Rag-time Kid, is an American who spends several years in the Philippines and falls in love with their food, culture, language, and people. Hillandale is friendly to all and enjoys dancing and playing music, and he soon becomes the most beloved foreigner in the Philippines. The politician Ramon Magsaysay adopts him as his unofficial advisor, and when Magsaysay runs for president, Hillandale helps him win over a province by befriending their people and proving that not all American Capitalists are rich or snobbish. When MacWhite brings Hillandale to Sarkhan, Hillandale realizes how important astrology is to Sarkhanese culture. He happens to have a strong interest in astrology and even studied it at a college in the Philippines. At a formal dinner with Sarkhanese dignitaries, Hillandale reads palms, which thrills the Sarkhanese. After reading the palm of the Prime Minister and advising him on a military situation, the Prime Minister requests that Hillandale read the King’s palm as well, which would be a major diplomatic opportunity and give the Americans greater leverage. However, Swift, the American protocol officer, spoils the opportunity by refusing to follow Sarkhanese protocol, deeply offending the dignitaries. Hillandale is so furious with Swift that he punches him in the eye.