In Part 6 of the novel, Michener introduces the concept of “the Golden Man.” He defines this person as an amalgam of Hawaii’s varied genetic mix, but he stresses the fact that this composite man is primarily characterized by the way he thinks:

And it is interesting to note that none of these, in a direct sense, owed his golden quality to racial intermixtures. His awareness of the future and his rare ability to stand at the conflux of the world he owed to his understanding of the movements around him (1244).

The narrator then explains to the reader that he will be describing four individuals who all share this particular mental ability. He begins with Hoxworth Hale. In 1946, at age 48, he is at the peak of his intellectual powers and is still the head of The Fort. He notices the changes that are occurring around him despite his determination to keep Hawaii exactly as it is. Primarily, he wishes to keep unions out of the islands, and he is equally determined to keep mainland businesses from competing with island interests.

In the same year, Hong Kong Kee grows worried about the debt the family is carrying.