Matterhorn

by Karl Marlantes

Start Free Trial

Student Question

How does Mellas balance friendship with enlisted men and respect from officers in Matterhorn?

Quick answer:

Mellas tries to be a friend to the enlisted men in Matterhorn by being sensitive to them, learning about their lives, and being loyal to them. He tries to be respected at first by the officers by following orders and doing the seemingly impossible, but soon grows disillusioned with their disregard for the lives of his men.

Expert Answers

An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

Second Lieutenant Waino Mellas, a marine on his first tour of duty in Vietnam, comes from a different background from most of the men he commands. As a white Princeton graduate from a privileged background, he hopes that his time in Vietnam might lead to a successful political career. Because of his background, he is perhaps overly concerned at first with how he presents himself, thinking that he doesn't want to project a pretend

privileged give-a-shit Ivy League attitude, like wearing duct tape on loafers and jeans with holes in them, knowing all along that [he was]...headed straight to Wall Street or Washington and three-piece suits.

Mellas tries to connect with the enlisted men under his command by engaging with them in conversations about their lives. He is the type of person who is genuinely interested in others, and he wants to know the life stories of the Black marines...

Unlock
This Answer Now

Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.

Get 48 Hours Free Access

under him, such as China and Jackson.

Mellas is also very loyal to his men. He wants to be respected by them, even though, because he is young and inexperienced, he doesn't feel truly qualified to be in command of them. Over time, his sense of commitment to them grows as he realizes that the army higher-ups don't know what they are doing and don't care how many lives they sacrifice as they pursue their own career goals. Mellas "accepted the burden" of responsibility for his men because, in the end, he loved and cared deeply about them.

As for his superior officers, at first Mellas tries to get along with them and to follow their orders so that he will earn their respect, even when what they ask seems ludicrous or impossible. He also tries to act as a liaison between them and the Black enlisted men, who the superior officers often don't respect. As time goes on, however, Mellas's relationship with such officers as Lieutenant Commander Simpson deteriorate; Mellas is clearly on the side of his men, whom the commander recklessly puts at risk. Mellas even tries to kill Simpson at one point. However, before he arrives at this point, he adopts an outward serenity, which hides his true feelings of anger towards his superiors:

below the grim tranquility he had learned to display, he cursed with boiling intensity the ambitious men who used him and his troops to further their careers.

Approved by eNotes Editorial