This novel can be considered an elaboration on a certain psychological delusion. The shared deaths of these men help to construct the story not as another random tale, but as a portrait for something. Who is responsible? It is clearly the captain, because the novel suggests that the captain entertained kinds of psychological delusion that led to violence and hateful treatment of someone he alleged to have feelings for.
The feelings are of utmost importance in piecing together the psychology of this novel. For instance, how might the Captain have felt when his subordinates obeyed him. Well, he was an effective leader, which we know from his credentials, so perhaps he learned to appreciate the power of military esteem. But, when reintroduced to the intense emotions of human loneliness, he realizes that he has homosexual desires for power in a young man's life, as in pederasty.
Perhaps an argument can be made that until the Captain reacts to these confusing emotions, he is innocent, but no one could argue in his defense when he decides to take the path of hatred. He feels emotions that he categorizes as unacceptable, and instead of being open-minded and letting his world-view evolve and change to the emotional challenges of the day, he picks a broken, hateful point of view which turns his experience of reality into a struggle for control and power. Combined with his confusing attraction to his subordinate, he turns to actual violence and domination. He is not only repressed; he also tolerates a point of view that is often violent and hateful.
