In particular, I'm wondering about the scene where Mr. Hollum joined in singing with the crew and they all turned and give him a dirty look. What was their problem? I realize that he was a bit timid for an officer and that later on the crew started to buy into the superstition that Hollum is a "Jonah", but they didn't believe that yet when they were singing the song. So why was he so widely disliked/disrespected by the crew?
shareThey already knew that he was incompetent, and hadn't the moral courage to make the decisions that an officer has to make. That made him not only despicable in their eyes but also a potential danger to them.
And it was way out of order for him to horn on in their singing; he was a quarter-deck officer and had no business to try to include himself in their off-duty amusement. As Jack points out to him later on, an officer who tries to do that will be despised.
And it was way out of order for him to horn on in their singing
It is 'too friendly'.
The point is that ratings are entitled to what for the want of a better phrase I'll call social and emotional privacy from their officers. Precisely because an officer is entitled to give orders to his men that they must obey, he can't be their friend. He can be approachable, sure; and kind, up to a point; but he mustn't try to force them to be friends with him, or join in with them when they're having a good time among themselves, because they haven't the right to tell him to push off.
Of course an officer and 'other rank' can develop a very strong and close relationship, but it has to be predicated on their respective roles; it can't just ignore it. (Think e.g. Frodo Baggins and Sam; no two people could be closer, but they remain master and servant throughout.)
Exactly correct.
I joined the Navy to see the world, only to discover the world is 2/3 water!
Precisely written by Syntinen.
When they were chasing the Acheron during the storm, Hollum was sent up into the rigging to help, take in some of the sails in order that the ship not lose some of its mast and sails. Hollum froze and caused the seaman he was supposed to be helping to be lost overboard with the mast and sails. The captain and the lost seaman's best friend had to cut the ropes to the rigging and cause the seaman to be left behind and drown. This caused the failure to salute incident and the subsequent flogging. Hollum was 30 years old and still a midshipman. He had also failed his exam for lieutenant twice. There was no way he could garner the respect and obedience of the crew.
The "Jonah" bit was just icing on the cake of Hollum's failure as a potential officer.
The pumps don't work 'cause the Vandals stole the handles
Bob Dylan
Right from the beginning his incompetence caused death and destruction. He saw the enemy ship through the glass despite the fog yet wavered and stalled anyway just because nobody else saw it. Completely unsuited to a command position. A real leader would have acted on it immediately and gotten the crew ready, better to be safe than sorry.
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