The Captain

The captain is a petty tyrant who earns the enmity of all the crewmen. He is an absurd, ridiculous figure. He insists on imposing strict regulations, such as when he gives the order that the men may not remove their shirts, even though the weather is extremely hot. He cancels the nightly movie for any small breach in regulations. The captain also suffers from class envy, hating Roberts because Roberts has a college education. The captain's smallness of mind is revealed by the fact that he cherishes the award he received, on behalf of the ship, for superior achievement in delivering supplies. The award was a potted palm tree, which he waters tenderly and displays with pride. The captain wants to build on this insignificant success and aspires to become a commander, which is why he needs Roberts to stay on the ship, since Roberts is highly...