Waters hides his profound self-hatred as both a black man and a black soldier in the army. This self-loathing fuels his anger towards the men in his unit. Despite his authority being granted and largely influenced by whites, Waters believes that excelling in his position might alter white perceptions of black men. As a result, he is more severe and ruthless with his men than a white officer might be. He aims to weed out those he considers unfit to compete in a world dominated by whites. Waters equates black survival with adopting white characteristics. His disdain for his own race and history ultimately leads him to mistreat his men, resulting in the death of one of them.