Matterhorn Characters
The main characters in Matterhorn are Mellas, Jackson, and Simpson.
- Mellas, the protagonist, naively imagines that his time in the marines will be filled with honor and glory, but he is left disillusioned, unable to understand what he and his fellow men are risking their lives for.
- Jackson is a Black marine who befriends Mellas and helps open his eyes to the discrimination the Black marines face in their troop and back home in the United States.
- Simpson is a superior officer who is deeply resented by Bravo company. His flawed and self-interested leadership often puts the men under his command at risk.
Characters
Mellas
The protagonist of Matterhorn, Second Lieutenant Waino Mellas is somewhat of an anomaly among his fellow marines in Vietnam: he has an Ivy League education and has joined the marines in the hope that serving in the war—where he hopes to earn many accolades—will further his future career in law. Life in the marines is much different than Mellas expects, however, and he quickly realizes that there is no glory in war; in fact, most of the battles he is called to fight in seem to have no discernible purpose at all. Nevertheless, he perseveres in his duty and defends and protects his fellow men, even as it becomes increasingly obvious that the only objective in fighting is to increase the Vietnamese body count. Unlike many of the other white marines, Mellas is genuinely interested in the struggles of the Black marines in Bravo company, opening himself up to introspective racial conversations with Jackson and China. In time, Mellas becomes an intermediary of sorts between his racist superiors and the Black marines assigned to Bravo Company. Much of Mellas’s internal struggles throughout the novel stem from the fact that in the midst of a war that destroys life, what Mellas longs for and cherishes most is human connection. In the end, Mellas’s traumatic experiences in the war—including the death of his close friend—greatly impact his personal goals and outlook on life.
Jackson
Eventually earning the title of Lance Corporal, Jackson serves as Mellas’s radioman early in the novel. Jackson is a Black marine who feels somewhat torn between his loyalty to Mellas in the field and his alliance with his fellow Black marines at camp. Though he’s at first unwilling to discuss matters of race with Mellas, the two men eventually engage in authentic conversations about what it is like to be Black in America, and Jackson opens up about the racism he faces while fighting in Vietnam. Near the end of the novel, Jackson realizes the depths of Mellas’s exhaustion and lets him rest while Jackson himself makes rounds. While making the rounds, Jackson steps on a mine and loses both his legs as a result. Mellas tries to visit Jackson while on board the hospital ship, but it’s clear that the tragedy has severed the bonds of their relationship.
Simpson
Lieutenant Colonel Simpson—referred to as “Big John Three” by the marines in Bravo Company—wants to rise in the ranks, and he sees this assignment in Vietnam as perhaps his last chance to prove his (self-estimated) excellence and leadership capabilities to Colonel Mulvaney and Major General Neitzel. To that end, Simpson is willing to take extraordinary risks and sacrifice many marines in Bravo Company to prove that his intuitions about where the Vietnamese are hiding around the Matterhorn mountain are correct. The men are aware of Simpson’s obvious desire for personal glory and accolades, but they are still frequently shocked by Simpson’s utter indifference to their suffering and disregard for their safety. Although Bravo Company has no choice but to follow Simpson’s military orders, they feel no sense of loyalty to him personally, and several marines, including Mellas, even plot to kill him.
China
China is a Black marine in the Second Platoon of Bravo Company who struggles with how best to improve the future of Black people back home in America. Throughout the novel, he talks about stashing weapons that he plans to send home, yet he also maintains an even disposition and gets along well with his fellow white marines. Ultimately, China finds himself at odds with Henry over how to address racial injustice; while...
(This entire section contains 1229 words.)
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Henry is willing to murder his own Staff Sergeant—and even advocates for this course of action—China feels loyalty toward all of his fellow marines, feeling that they are all “cogs” in the system, simply trying to survive.
Henry
Henry is a Black marine who desires swift retribution for the racial injustices he witnesses and is subject to. His loyalty to his race trumps his allegiance to the marines, and he doesn’t hesitate to use violence, even against superiors, to balance the scales of justice. It is Henry’s mistake that kills Hawke; in trying to kill Staff Sergeant Cassidy in an act of revenge, Henry mistakenly kills Second Lieutenant Hawke instead. Mellas realizes the truth but decides not to bring it to the attention of the marines, deciding instead to let this act fuel his own dedication to the marines and to Hawke’s goals.
Fitch
First Lieutenant Fitch holds a great deal of power in Bravo Company but is only twenty-three years old. Still older than most of the young marines he fights with, Fitch has survived long enough to earn the rank of Lieutenant. Fitch holds the power to promote Mellas and potentially put him in line for company commander, so Mellas often tries to frame his actions and responses in ways that will be pleasing to Fitch, particularly early on.
Hawke
Nicknamed the Jayhawk, Hawke has an easy personality that people enjoy. He is a good leader in the field and becomes a friend to Mellas, providing guidance and support. He considers Mellas a “politician” and believes he will do well in the marines because of it. Hawke is patient and loyal, disobeying orders and returning to the field to assist Bravo Company when they find themselves in dire need.
Cassidy
Staff Sergeant Cassidy is known among the Black marines as a racist. His racism is demonstrated early in the novel, when Parker refuses an order to cut his curly hair. Staff Sergeant Cassidy shows up personally to navigate Parker’s disobedience, and when Parker points out that white marines have longer hair that they simply slick back, Cassidy agrees with him—and then calls him derogatory names such as “turd” and “puke” before personally shaving Parker’s head. From that point forward, the Black marines hate Cassidy, and his persistent racism leads to him becoming the target of a murder attempt.
Cortell
A member of the Third Squad, Cortell is the leader of Jancowitz’s second fire team and is a Black marine who tries to help his white counterparts understand the need to see and treat Blacks equally. Cortell is deeply religious and tries to apply Christian principles to his interactions with both white and Black marines. He shares his faith with his fellow marines at various times throughout the conflict, assuring them that Jesus is his only source of faith.
Pollini
Another marine in the Third Squad, Pollini always finds himself on the outside of the group. He is the recipient of a great many insults regarding his appearance and fighting abilities. In an effort to perhaps finally prove himself a hero, Pollini charges a machine gun on a hill to take it out and assist his Company. When Pollini is hit by fire and yells for help, Mellas considers this an opportunity that might prove medal-worthy. Mellas charges, firing blindly uphill, and then drags a now dead Pollini back to relative safety. Only afterward does he realize that his blind firing might have actually taken Pollini’s life. Though he will never know the truth, this realization is instrumental in reframing how Mellas thinks about the war and his own actions in it.
