The Club Summary and Analysis

"The Club" is Marlantes' name for the informal group of war veterans, and he uses it for the title of Chapter 10. He relates a story from his own childhood when he was a boy scout and had gone camping with a group of other scouts and their fathers. He joined the campfire one night as some of the fathers were talking about their experiences in World War II. They paused when he joined them, but continued talking about the war. This was Marlantes' first glimpse into "the Club."

Most people seem to need to feel they belong to a club or group, Marlantes' writes. Many cultures have initiation rites for young people that cement their association with their society. For men, this initiation is often linked to war. For young women the initiation is often linked to childbirth.

The...