Setting

The main physical setting of the short story is Vietnam, which reveals the time setting to be the Vietnam War. Although the year when the action takes place is not revealed, we can easily deduce it if we take into consideration the idea that the story is based on the author’s experiences as a soldier during the war in Vietnam. Tim O’Brien served in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970, and the events he depicts are based on his experiences during that time.

An important part of the physical setting is the Than Khe village, which is the place outside which Ted Lavender, one of Jimmy Cross’ comrades, is shot in the head:

In mid-April, it was their mission to s…

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Social setting

When it comes to the social setting, the story focuses on the effects of the war on soldiers. They mostly act out of inertia, without any real motivation, and they struggle to keep themselves together even though they are constantly afraid of death. To maintain their composure, the soldiers tend to joke about death and deal with it ironically, and this is also a way to avoid thinking that they might also be killed in action.

The things that keep the soldiers going are the material things they carry with them – personal items or reminders from their families or dear ones – but also the hope of returning safely to their home land. Overall, the social setting shows that soldier…