What is the theme in In Pharaoh's Army: Memories of the Lost War by Tobias Wolff?

Abandonment is a major theme in the book. Tobias Wolff suffered for much of his formative years from the abandonment of him by his father. Abandonment is regrettably a common issue that faces families in today's world. As is often the case, Wolff's mother stuck by her children while their father took off. Wolff struggled with the absence of his father for many years. It was one of the compelling reasons that he joined the army. He wanted to not only prove to the world and perhaps most importantly to himself, that he had value and purpose. His father was a conman and a thief and was serving time in prison during the delicate years that Tobias the boy was becoming Tobias the man.