Retroactive Self-Criticism
Throughout the memoir, Wolff engages in a rather futile exercise of retroactive self-criticism. Although he cannot change the character of himself in the past, he continues to note decisions he would have made differently or instances which demonstrate this or that particular character flaw. As a more established adult in the writing of the memoir, Wolff is interested in re-analyzing his past. He recalls many episodes of his time abroad with shame, eager to show readers where his actions depart from Wolff's present standards. One example is the incident with the TV at Thanksgiving time. Determined to catch a special holiday broadcast of Bonanza, Wolff manages to mislead his superior officer and cheat a local Vietnamese single mother and her son into giving him this TV, which he promises to return but never does. Wolff relates how this event demonstrates his younger self's extreme selfishness and lack of integrity, but he fails to recognize the beauty of the story for its narrative value. Although Wolff may be embarrassed by his past, he cannot deny the narrative potential of his life, hence the memoir.
Paternal Rejection
Wolff observes paternal rejection all around him in his environment, as a result of projecting his own disappointment in his father. Because Wolff does not look up to his father, he feels all the more keenly his longing for paternal approval. Instead his dad is too busy scheming his way out of various trials to pay attention to either of his sons. Consequently Wolff and Geoffrey maintain their distance. When Wolff returns home, however, he acknowledges that he must pursue some sort of communication with his dad, in light of having survived the war and all. He ends up witnessing the disappointing reunion of his friend, Hoffman, and his dad. Because of his own father's rejection of him, Hoffman deserts the army. With this memory of hope dashed by the reality of an imperfect parent fresh on his mind, Wolff approaches his father with caution. He is quickly disappointed when he learns that he has nothing much to say to his dad and vice versa. They fail to connect after so much time apart, symptomatic of a greater defect in their relationship.
Cynicism
Wolff is no stranger to cynicism. Having grown up with an unreliable father, he possesses an intimate knowledge of the human potential for evil. He brings this perspective with him to Vietnam, observing the cruel tendencies of some of the natives in their treatment of animals or the poor as well as observing the American military's demonstrable neglect for human life on either side of the conflict. Wolff feels his position as a pawn in a much larger scheme keenly, regretting that he did not intervene on behalf of oppressed peoples more during his service, but Wolff was largely powerless to control his actions under direct orders. In his first-person narration, Wolff dwells largely upon the base nature of the men he served with as well as himself. He conceals no selfish impulse from the audience, preferring to highlight mistakes and overt defiances of acceptable behavior such as the time Wolff stole a TV from an impoverished single mother.
