Commander Yung Character Analysis in The Word for World is Forest

Commander Yung is the superior of the colonists on World 41 and the leader of the Shackleton spaceship, which makes the long journey from Earth to World 41 immediately before the massacre at Smith Camp. Raj Lyubov speculates about Yung’s intentions during a meeting, as Yung brings two League of Worlds emissaries with him, and Lyubov wonders whether Yung wanted them to be there or was forced to bring them. Yung’s intentions toward Terra’s (Earth’s) colonies are somewhat unclear, as Lyubov notes that Yung has witnessed the “creechie-pens” where native Athsheans are held captive, yet Yung also discusses the possibility of the colonists leaving World 41 entirely. Later in the novella, the colonists do leave, and Commander Yung speaks directly to Selver about this decision. Yung appears empathetic to Selver and interested in Selver’s status among the Athsheans, but it remains unclear whether or not Yung played a direct role in ending World 41’s colonization.

Commander Yung Character Timeline in The Word for World is Forest

The timeline below shows where the character Commander Yung appears in The Word for World is Forest. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Communication and Translation Theme Icon

...him. When he gets to the conference room, the Shackleton crew is already there, including Commander Yung and some men in non-Navy uniforms. Lyubov is surprised to see they are non-Terran... (full context)

Violence, War, and Colonization Theme Icon

...for the Smith incident, and while Lyubov knows that it’s him, he glares at Davidson. Commander Yung begins the meeting by saying that he initially came to World 41 to drop... (full context)

Yung confirms that everyone has heard Davidson’s recorded report on the Smith events, and he invites... (full context)

...treatment of the natives have not been sent to the Shackleton along with his studies. Yung has likely seen the creechie-pens where the humans keep the Athsheans prisoner, but Lepennon and... (full context)

...no one answers Or’s question, he angrily tells them that they haven’t thought anything through. Yung then says that the reason the Shackleton is here at all is not just to... (full context)

...that this means nothing is different now, but Or disagrees: the ansible makes things different. Yung applauds Or and Lepennon for deciding to give this colony the ansible. Yung also says... (full context)

Yung can take a few hundred passengers, but they need to head to Prestno. They’ll come... (full context)

...neutral zone. Selver and his people sit and rest under a tree, and the ship’s Commander (Yung) approaches Selver, saying that the Terrans will soon be taken away and that this... (full context)

The Commander says the difference is that the humans now have one centralized government. Besides, the Commander... (full context)