Describe symbolism in MASH by Richard Hooker

Chapter 13 illustrates how the 4077th pulls together not only in surgery but in their recreation, even with Oliver. The men's antics, their betting and their football playing all come together to show that they are not only a team in war but elsewhere as well. The chapter further represents the enduring relationships formed in wartime. One of the more impressive parts of the chapter is how well they play with Oliver despite his race; the issue of race never comes up in the chapter and represents one way in which racial barriers are broken down in the actual world—mutual participation in sports.