College

College symbolizes the protagonist’s inability to maintain healthy habits or a sense of direction. Over the course of the novel, the protagonist fails out of college multiple times, as his lack of focus, and later his addictions, distract him from ethics of discipline.

Army Training

Army training symbolizes regret and humiliation. The protagonist enlists in the army hoping to cultivate a deeper sense of discipline and direction in his life. However, his training is exhausting and humiliating, and he quickly regrets his enlistment.

Deployment

The protagonist’s time as a deployed soldier in Iraq symbolizes the brutality and absurdity of war. During the protagonist’s year of service, the American army’s goals and strategies never seem clear or competent, and the protagonist witnesses many absurd and horrific sights.

War Carnage

The carnage that the protagonist’s sees in Iraq symbolizes the psychological torture inherent...