In film and in literature there are narratives that are portrayed in a special way. Their events seem to be told in the wrong order. The first contact with this kind of narrative technique can evoke an unsatisfied feeling, because a non-chronological order of happenings in the first chapters of a book can lead to incomprehension. The novels Going After Cacciato by Tim O’Brien and Catch 22 by Joseph Heller, we dealt with in the seminar “Between the Lines: American War Novels”, are narrated with this complex technique. They are called nonlinear narratives. I decided to write a paper about how Tim O’Brien accomplished to portray the trauma of war with his novel Going after Cacciato. This is one of six novels he published, dealing with Vietnam War.
In the second chapter I start to divide the novel into its three parts that could function as stories on their own and I analyse the narrative communication and its function within these parts. The third chapter deals with the major themes of the novel. The theme of control and its loss is discussed in a subchapter, because it is a central one and can be associated with the special narrative technique. In chapter four I analyse how structure and narrative communication assemble the content and main themes in Going After Cacciato harmonious. It creates the feeling of reading about traumatic experiences at Vietnam War. The novel contains a mythical, fictional story within the story and therefore distinct ambiguities that are discussed in this chapter.
Table of Contents
Introduction
I. The Structure of the Novel
1. Plot Threads
2. Switching Perspectives
II. Major Themes
1. Courage and Morality
2. Theme of Control and its Loss
III. How Narrative Technique and the Theme of Control represent the Theme of Trauma in War
Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines how Tim O’Brien portrays the trauma of war in his novel Going After Cacciato by analyzing the interplay between narrative structure, communication techniques, and the thematic development of control and its loss. The study investigates the connection between the protagonist’s non-chronological memories and his fictionalized daydreams as manifestations of psychological distress.
- The nonlinear narrative structure and its reflection of the protagonist's psychological state.
- The distinction between frame-story, war, and Paris narrative threads.
- The ethical tension between courage and morality in combat situations.
- The manifestation of trauma through the loss of personal control and memory order.
- The use of narrative focalization to simulate the experience of post-traumatic stress.
Excerpt from the Book
2. Theme of Control and its Loss
The theme of control can be found in every one of the three interwoven parts of the novel and therefore it is the central one. It can be connected to the theme of courage that was introduced before. Paul Berlin wants to get his fear of dying on the battlefield under control and wishes to go home as a courageous war hero. A soldier in war needs self-control of his body, sense and emotion. This control is fundamental to act courageously in dangerous situations. Control is not only fundamental to soldiers in war, but to every human being. Young children have to learn to control their body as soon as possible. They learn to control all parts of their body arbitrary. For Paul Berlin control is a very important theme. He often thinks about it directly and indirectly when he tries to organise his memories.
“True, the war scared him silly, but this was something he hoped to bring under control.” (45) In the last chapter he loses his control of his fear, of his gun and his self-control of his body and his sensory impressions, at the moment of confrontation with Cacciato. That are probably the most bothering problems a soldier can suffer from in a combat mission. The next quote incudes each of these happenings.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Outlines the focus on Tim O'Brien's Going After Cacciato and the use of nonlinear narrative techniques to depict war trauma.
I. The Structure of the Novel: Examines the three interwoven plot threads—observation post, war experiences, and the journey to Paris—and their narrative perspectives.
II. Major Themes: Discusses the ethical dilemmas of courage and morality, alongside the psychological necessity of control in a traumatic environment.
III. How Narrative Technique and the Theme of Control represent the Theme of Trauma in War: Links literary techniques to actual symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) such as memory loss and escapism.
Conclusion: Summarizes the novel's anti-war message and the reader's role in reconstructing the fragmented narrative to understand the protagonist's experience.
Keywords
Tim O’Brien, Going After Cacciato, Vietnam War, War Novels, Trauma, PTSD, Nonlinear Narrative, Narrative Technique, Control, Morality, Courage, Memory, Psychology, Escapism, Literary Analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this paper?
The paper analyzes how Tim O'Brien uses specific narrative techniques and recurring themes, such as control, to portray the trauma of war in the novel Going After Cacciato.
What are the central thematic fields explored?
The central themes include courage, morality, the struggle for control, and the psychological impact of war, manifested through memories and daydreams.
What is the main research question or goal?
The goal is to determine how the novel's structure and narrative communication create an authentic, albeit fictional, depiction of Vietnam War trauma.
Which scientific method is applied?
The author uses literary analysis, examining narrative communication levels, focalization, and comparing them with clinical symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body covers the analysis of the three plot threads, the philosophical debate on morality and purpose in war, and the clinical link between the protagonist's loss of control and his trauma.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Key terms include war trauma, nonlinear narrative, narrative communication, control, morality, and Paul Berlin's psychological state.
How does the protagonist, Paul Berlin, attempt to regain control?
He attempts to regain control by organizing his memories and creating a structured, albeit fictional, fantasy journey to Paris where he can decide the outcomes himself.
What significance do the "Paris chapters" hold in the novel?
The Paris chapters function as a mental escape mechanism, allowing the protagonist to substitute the chaotic, uncontrollable reality of the war with a self-managed, logical fantasy sequence.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Mario Zschornack (Autor:in), 2015, Control and its Loss. Dealing with the Trauma of Vietnam War in Tim O’Brien’s "Going After Cacciato", München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/369110
