A Few Good Men

Nathan Jessup is the arrogant and intimidating colonel who runs the Guantanamo Bay military base in Cuba. He thinks that his job involves defending the US from the enemy on the other side of the fence. This worldview gives Jessup a sense of moral clarity: He views himself as the good guy, protecting the world from the bad guys at any cost. Because Jessup views the entire world through this lens of good versus evil (with himself on the good side), he feels justified in everything he does. Not only will he do anything to carry out his objectives, but he loathes the rest of the world for living in comfort and not appreciating his sacrifice enough. Jessup hates the world that he protects because he views it as cosseted and weak. Kaffee, the courts, and the law all represent this weak society’s attempts to undermine his ability to keep the world safe from evil.

Jessup fully sees the botched Code Red given to Santiago as a necessary evil. His arrogance means that he’ll never apologize, and his resentment of the world means that he delivers his confession with a sense of vindicated anger. Kaffee teases the confession from Jessup by making him emotional, but the truth is that Jessup was desperate to confess. He never thought that he’d be punished for his actions because he never viewed himself as wrong. Jessup is genuinely surprised when he’s arrested at the end of the trial, and he continues to view himself as a powerful and correct man who has been undone by the very society that he seeks to protect. Jessup is stunned when his view of the world lands him on the wrong side of the law.

Joanne Galloway is a dedicated lawyer who struggles to succeed in a patriarchal world. She joins the military but isn’t allowed to pilot planes or boats, so she dedicates herself to perfecting a different skillset. As a lawyer, she exceeds what’s expected of her. Despite her commitment and intelligence, she’s constantly reminded that she’s a woman in a man’s world. When she talks with superior officers, they often specifically refer to her gender when denying her a request or attempting to belittle her. Regardless of the sexism she faces every day, Galloway remains absolutely dedicated to her cause. This dedication is partially due to her morality, as she thinks that every defendant has the right to the best possible legal defense. Her work ethic contrasts with that of Kaffee, who initially does the bare minimum to get by and happily accepts the easiest, most amenable solution for his cases. That Kaffee is respected and well-liked while doing so little work only serves to illustrate the hurdles that Galloway must overcome to succeed in her job.

Despite Galloway’s work ethic and intelligence, she does make mistakes. She lacks Kaffee’s natural charm and Weinburg’s experience in the courtroom. Though she makes errors during the trial, she learns from them. Her objections become increasingly useful and tactical as the trial progresses. Galloway may not be as superficially charming as Kaffee, but she does convince him to call Jessup to the stand. Her ability to convince people of ideas is another example of her development, showing how she’s learned to become more personable in her work and cooperate with others for the most success. Galloway and Kaffee win their trial in that they overcome their character flaws to force Jessup into a confession. Galloway is the most important part of this victory, motivating and inspiring her team toward a resounding win. 

Sam Weinburg is Kaffee’s hardworking, put-upon counterpart. They work in the same role in the same department, but their approaches drastically differ. While Kaffee talks his way through the easiest possible solution, Weinburg does unspectacular but essential work. They differ in their personal lives as well. While the single Kaffee drinks and plays softball, Weinburg takes whatever time he can to stay at home with his wife and baby. Despite these differences, the two men are friends. They share a sense of humor, and their differences complement each other, allowing them to handle cases together as an effective team.

Weinburg doesn’t like Dawson or Downey. He sees the two men as brutish bullies overly invested in the pompous and absurd moral code of the Marines. He regards them as murderers and thinks that they’re terrible people, but he nonetheless defends them. Weinburg’s willingness to defend men that he personally dislikes reveals the extent to which he’s invested in the legal system. Like Galloway, he thinks that everyone deserves a fair trial and the best legal defense possible. Weinburg shows his commitment to the fairness of the system by dedicating his time and effort to defending men whom he thinks are immoral products of an immoral system. 

Louden Downey is a young private in the Marines who struggles to come to terms with the consequences of his actions. He lacks a family, a support network, and a direction in life, so the Marines is the only institution that provides him with a sense of guidance and purpose. Downey becomes heavily invested in the Marines because he appreciates how the moral clarity of good versus evil, following orders, and working hard give meaning to his life. He comes to trust Dawson because, as his superior, Dawson represents the morality of the Marines. Dawson does as he’s told by the only people he thinks he can trust.

Downey’s investment in the Marines has a tragic payoff. He doesn’t fully understand the ramifications of his actions. To Downey, killing Santiago was an accident that resulted from carrying out orders. The moral clarity of life as a Marine fails him, as he’s learned that following orders is the most important thing in life. Even during his trial, Downey holds onto this belief. He hopes that he can return to the Marines (and thus the only home he really knows) once everyone understands that he was just following orders. However, the trial ends in a dishonorable discharge. Though Downey isn’t convicted of murder, he loses his home in the Marines. Given that it represents what little he had, the loss adds a tragic note to the victory in the courtroom. He may not be going to jail, but he has nowhere else to go.

Harold Dawson is a corporal in the Marines and is more intelligent than his fellow defendant, Downey. However, he believes even more zealously in the ideology of the Marines. Dawson has taken onboard the lessons about honor and morality; he now refuses to compromise in any way. He won’t sign a plea deal or do anything to damage the reputation of the Marines. Dawson teaches Downey this absolute commitment to the Marines and their code of honor. As a result, Dawson has some responsibility for Downey’s actions. The young, impressionable Downey becomes so completely invested in the Marines that he can no longer see right from wrong because of the lessons he learns from one of the few people he trusts. Dawson acknowledges this and feels responsible for Downey. However, he refuses to compromise his honor even when doing so might benefit Downey. Dawson’s fervent commitment to the Marines nearly dooms both men.

Dawson dislikes Kaffee because he feels that the arrogant, uncommitted lawyer doesn’t understand honor. This echoes a similar distaste toward Kaffee and the courtroom proceedings by the other Marines, such as Jessup and Kendrick. However, Dawson comes to respect Kaffee when the process of the trial reveals the rot at the heart of the Marines’ so-called code of honor. Jessup’s angry confession shows Dawson that the code that became a religious creed isn’t absolute. Dawson salutes Kaffee at the end of the trial. He may not like Kaffee but comes to respect his morality.