Major "Mac" McLaurin Character Analysis in Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk

For unknown reasons, Major Mac is assigned to accompany Bravo Squad on the Victory Tour. Apparently, on Major Mac's first day in Iraq, he suffered injuries that permanently damaged his hearing. Because he's almost fully deaf, Bravo Squad gives him a great deal of grief and says things to him and around him that exploit the fact that he cannot hear well or at all. His experience in Iraq also affected his mental health, and Bravo guesses that Major Mac is mentally checked out more than half the time—they talk often about his "thousand mile Prozac stare." When Major Mac defuses an altercation involving a gun, however, Sergeant Dime terms Major Mac a national hero.

Major "Mac" McLaurin Character Timeline in Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk

The timeline below shows where the character Major "Mac" McLaurin appears in Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...accuses Billy of checking out. When Billy offers a satisfactory reply, Dime says offhandedly that Major Mac is gay. Another soldier, Holliday, takes offense, but Major Mac says nothing. Dime laughs and... (full context)

...Mango. Next to Mango is A-bort, then Holliday, Lodis, Sykes, Crack, Dime, Albert, and finally, Major Mac . Billy looks at the sky through the open dome and thinks that though it's... (full context)

...incriminatingly of beer. Dime turns angrily to Mango, and Billy innocently asks what happened to Major Mac . Bravo erupts in laughter, and Dime sends Billy and Mango to go find Major... (full context)

...and Billy promptly buy more beers and then walk through the crowd. They wonder where Major Mac might've gone and remark on the futility of trying to find someone in a crowd... (full context)

...that it's a truly disgusting place. Mango and Billy decide to abandon their search for Major Mac and return to their seats after buying pizza. Billy thinks about the fact that he's... (full context)

After the crowd disperses, Josh, the Bravos' handler, arrives. He and asks where Major Mac is if the Bravos are ready for lunch. The Bravos ask if they can meet... (full context)

Billy checks his phone and finds a text from Pastor Rick. He deletes it as Major Mac steps in beside him and insists that he's been there the entire time. Billy feels... (full context)

...their seats, some people stop them to shake hands, but not as many as before. Major Mac has been sitting in their row, and Billy once again ends up in the aisle... (full context)

...something ram into Mr. Jones from behind. The gun flies across the ground straight to Major Mac . Major Mac picks it up and fires the gun straight up. Later, the media... (full context)

After Major Mac shoots, he sets the gun's safety, puts it on the ground, and stands with his... (full context)