People of the Whale

Thomas reflects on his past and confronts the haunting memories of war at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, known as The Wall. He observes the physical and symbolic elements of The Wall, including mementos and engraved names, which evoke powerful emotions and memories. Thomas is struck by the shared grief and the somber atmosphere, feeling a mixture of anger, fear, guilt, and sorrow as he processes his experiences. He recalls moments from the war, including being pushed out of a helicopter, the fear and reality of imminent death, and the intense struggle to survive in a hostile environment. He remembers his efforts to blend into the jungle, the moral dilemmas he faced, and the heavy burden of his actions, including killing his own men to protect innocent lives. These memories lead him to question his own humanity and the meaning of his survival.

The focus shifts to Thomas’s interactions with his fellow veterans in their motel room, especially with his old friend Dwight, who was the tribal chairman who pushed the whale hunt that resulted in Marco’s death. Thomas confronts the reality that he killed his own men during the war, a fact that has long tormented him.