Comradeship, Respect, and Loyalty

At the beginning of the play, there is some disharmony amongst the crewmen, as shown by the fight that breaks out between Mannion and Insigna, which also involves Wiley and Stefanowski. This scene suggests the corrosive effects of boredom and the denial of offshore leave. After the men return from Elysium, they have bonded as a group, and Insigna and Mannion are the best of friends. The change is so noticeable that Roberts remarks on it, saying that before, all he had was 167 separate men. Now he has a real crew.

The respect the men feel for Roberts is also a key thematic element. They like him because they feel he is their ally against the captain and he treats them fairly. He does not behave as if he is superior just because he is an officer. They only lose respect for him when they...