# Dr. Walter T. Goodwin — The Moon Pool character guide

> Dr. Walter T. Goodwin in The Moon Pool by A. Merritt.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Dr. Goodwin, Goodwin, Walter

**First appearance:** 0003-i-the-thing-on-the-moon-path

## Snapshot

A scientist and narrator whose rational mind is forced to confront wonders that defy every law he has ever trusted.

## Who they are

Dr. Goodwin is a respected man of science who finds himself chronicling events that no scientific framework can contain. His training demands skepticism, yet the testimony of his friend Throckmartin and the things he witnesses himself leave him no room for disbelief. As narrator, he is both witness and interpreter — and his struggle to reconcile evidence with reason gives the story its intellectual spine.

## In the story

### [The Thing on the Moon Path](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/i-the-thing-on-the-moon-path)

Narrator and botanist; encounters Throckmartin and witnesses the moon path entity.

### [II: “Dead! All Dead!”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/ii-dead-all-dead)

Listens to Throckmartin's account and witnesses the strange mark, acting as the skeptical yet concerned confidant.

### [III: The Moon Rock](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/iii-the-moon-rock)

The listener to Throckmartin's story; he is the recipient of the narrative in this chapter.

### [IV: The First Vanishings](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/iv-the-first-vanishings)

Listener to Throckmartin's story; not present in the events but addressed as the audience.

### [V: Into the Moon Pool](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/v-into-the-moon-pool)

Listener to Throckmartin's story; expresses belief in Throckmartin's account; witnesses Throckmartin's disappearance from the ship.

### [VI: “The Shining Devil Took Them!”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/vi-the-shining-devil-took-them)

Narrator; decides to keep Throckmartin's disappearance secret, procures equipment, and rescues Huldricksson and O'Keefe.

### [VII: Larry O'Keefe](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/vii-larry-o-keefe)

Narrator; interacts with O'Keefe and monitors Huldricksson's recovery.

### [VIII: Olaf's Story](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/viii-olaf-s-story)

Narrates the chapter, administers sedatives to Olaf, and recounts his own story to O'Keefe.

### [IX: A Lost Page of Earth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/ix-a-lost-page-of-earth)

Awakens refreshed, theorizes about a lost race and the scientific basis of the Dweller, and persuades O'Keefe to join the expedition.

### [The Moon Pool](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/x-the-moon-pool)

Narrates the chapter; leads the expedition, sets up the condensers, and tends to Marakinoff's wound.

### [XI: The Flame-Tipped Shadows](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/xi-the-flame-tipped-shadows)

Narrates the chapter; engages in scientific speculation about the moon's origin and the nature of the abyss; observes the vision of Lakla and the frog-woman.

### [XII: The End of the Journey](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/xii-the-end-of-the-journey)

Narrates the arrival, describing the strange light and the city's wonders.

### [XIII: Yolara, Priestess of the Shining One](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/xiii-yolara-priestess-of-the-shining-one)

Narrates the descent and observes the alien environment with scientific curiosity, noting the archaic Polynesian language and the strange properties of the blackness.

### [XV: The Angry, Whispering Globe](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/xv-the-angry-whispering-globe)

Observes the society, discusses Thanaroa and the link to Polynesian cults, and fights the drugged sleep before seeing Lakla's vision.

### [XVI: Yolara of Muria vs. the O’Keefe](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/xvi-yolara-of-muria-vs-the-o-keefe)

Narrator; awakens refreshed, joins swim, observes Yolara's tests and O'Keefe's responses.

### [The Leprechaun](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/xvii-the-leprechaun)

Narrator; questioned by the council; observes Murian society and saves Rador from an assassination attempt.

### [The Madness of Olaf](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/xix-the-madness-of-olaf)

Narrates the events, realizes the truth about Throckmartin, and feels apprehension about the feast.

### [XX: The Tempting of Larry](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/xx-the-tempting-of-larry)

Observes the events, feels dread and hope upon Lakla's arrival.

### [XXI: Larry’s Defiance](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/xxi-larry-s-defiance)

Experiences apocalyptic visions of the Shining One's potential destruction and argues with Larry about superstition and science.

### [XXII: The Casting of the Shadow](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/xxii-the-casting-of-the-shadow)

Observes the escape, notes the damage to the corial, and follows Rador into the hidden passage.

### [XXIII: Dragon Worm and Moss Death](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/xxiii-dragon-worm-and-moss-death)

Narrates the chapter, analyzes the fungus scientifically, and is knocked down during the attack.

### [The Crimson Sea](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/xxiv-the-crimson-sea)

Narrator; awakens in the arms of a frog-man, observes Larry's condition, and walks with Lakla.

### [XXV: The Three Silent Ones](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/xxv-the-three-silent-ones)

Narrator; describes the bridge, the abyss, and the encounter with the Silent Ones; kneels in homage.

### [The Wooing of Lakla](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/xxvi-the-wooing-of-lakla)

Observes the romance, worries about Lakla's ability to survive on the surface, and discusses the nature of the Three with Larry.

### [XXVII: The Coming of Yolara](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/xxvii-the-coming-of-yolara)

Observes the attack, is restrained by an invisible foe, and later searches for the lost Keth cone.

### [XXVIII: In the Lair of the Dweller](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/xxviii-in-the-lair-of-the-dweller)

Narrator; experiences the dimensional journey and describes the Shining One's appearance; feels despair at seeing Throckmartin and others among the throng.

### [XXIX: The Shaping of the Shining One](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/xxix-the-shaping-of-the-shining-one)

Also present, observing and reflecting on the scientific parallels to Lakla's account.

### [XXX: The Building of the Moon Pool](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/xxx-the-building-of-the-moon-pool)

Listens intently to Lakla's story; asks about the fate of Throckmartin and Olaf's wife, clinging to the possibility of their salvation.

### [Larry and the Frog-Men](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/xxxi-larry-and-the-frog-men)

Narrates the chapter; accepts being carried by the Akka; expresses doubt about whether the Three can defeat the Shining One.

### [XXXII: “Your Love; Your Lives; Your Souls!”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/xxxii-your-love-your-lives-your-souls)

Narrator; initially skeptical of the Three's solution but reflects on the power of love and sacrifice.

### [The Meeting of Titans](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/xxxiii-the-meeting-of-titans)

Narrates the battle, uses a crystal to observe distant fighting, and fights off attackers before being knocked down.

### [XXXV: “Larry—Farewell!”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/xxxv-larry-farewell)

Narrator; searches for Throckmartin and Edith, examines David's body, later attacked by Marakinoff and swept away; survives and finds the moon door destroyed.

### [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/chapters/endnotes)

Author of the endnotes; provides scientific and ethnographic commentary on Murian culture, technology, and biology.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/characters/dr_walter_goodwin
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_moon_pool_se/characters