A Boy at War

The collection of more than 20 American warships docked around the perimeter of Ford Island create an impression of prowess and indestructibility, and each time he sees them, Adam is struck by a sense of pride and patriotism. To Adam, they symbolize what the United States Navy can achieve, a show of force prepared to mount a defense or stage an attack. Adam is well informed on all the technical specifications and defensive capabilities of his father’s ship, and he recalls with pride the occasion when he, his mother, and his sister were brought aboard for family day and given a tour, his father proudly introducing Adam as a future sailor. In a sense, his familiarity with the ship is a medium through which Adam connects with his father, who spends so much time aboard, and who is emotionally reserved when he is home with his children. Adam’s father constantly reminds Adam of how much their entire family owes to the navy, and when Adam is in the presence of the fleet, he feels his connection to the greater cause, which mitigates some of the sacrifices he is forced to make.

When the Arizona and the rest of the fleet are decimated before his eyes, Adam enters a state of shock not only because the attack itself is unexpected, but because until the moment he sees the ships between to catch fire, split apart, and sink, Adam had genuine faith that the ships were indestructible.