Symbolism In Tim O 'Going After Cacciato'

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The Vietnam war was a tragic time in our world’s history. With over 47,000 casualties just in the U.S, many soldiers had a hard time facing the grim realities of war. Some soldiers probably reminisced their lives back at home, others may have daydreamed to escape the horrific realities of war. In Going After Cacciato, Tim O'brien Crafts an elaborate fantasy in the mind of the main character, Paul Berlin to escape the horrors of war; In this fantasy he symbolizes: youth, a need for order, and the dreadful realities of war. In this book, youth is symbolized in a character named Cacciato. Although Cacciato never speaks in this book, the reader can still evaluate his behaviors and understand how he symbolizes youth. In Paul Berlin’s fantasy, he thinks about Cacciato escaping the war and traveling over 6,000 miles on foot to Paris. Cacciato’s illogical idea resembles an idea of a small child because it is so impractical and unachievable. This idea could be similar to a small child believing in magic and monsters under the bed. Another …show more content…
If order was not obtained in our world, there would be no laws, no government, and no safety. War is one place where order is almost never present. The men participating in the war are forced to live in gruesome conditions, fight in harsh weather, and to kill innocent people. The men even believed that following the rules was dangerous. In such disarray, order was almost impossible to maintain; even though it is essential for human life. Frenchie Tucker is one of the only examples of order in this book. Frenchie tucker is asked to go clear a tunnel and folds his clothes neatly and leaves them above the tunnel. “Frenchie’s helmet and boots and socks were arranged neatly on a square of rock. Frenchie was always neat” (page 67). Although it may seem pointless for Frenchy to neatly arrange his clothes, he proves to the reader that order is important; especially in such a chaotic

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