Friendship

While a number of unique and often quite complex relationships are explored throughout the course of the story, actual friendships are quite rare in this novel. This is due in large part to the “every man for himself” attitude that most of the prisoners in Changi have been forced to adopt to survive as well as the emotional and psychological toll that the camp has taken on the men being held there. Even the close friendship that exists between Peter Marlowe, Mac, and Colonel Larkin was forged long before they were sent to Changi, although this friendship remains one of the most important things in Marlowe’s life. Both Mac and Larkin are much older than Marlowe and because they have experienced more than he has during the course of their lives they are father figures to him. He seeks their advice about things that he...