“It was a way of remembering, and of making sure he would never forget, and of understanding that the only way to make it stop was to keep it going.”
— Paul Berlin reflecting on the act of storytelling and memory during the war.
Archivist's Choice
Going After Cacciato
Tim O'Brien (2009)
Genre
Historical Fiction
Reading Time
7 hours 30 min
Key Themes
See below
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In the hallucinatory haze of the Vietnam War, a young soldier abandons his post and embarks on an improbable, dreamlike trek from the steaming jungles of Indochina to the romantic streets of Paris, blurring the lines between desertion and a desperate quest for peace.
Synopsis
Paul Berlin, a young American soldier in the Vietnam War, is on watch in an observation post as his squad pursues a fellow soldier, Cacciato, who has deserted and is attempting to walk to Paris. As Paul watches, he slips into an elaborate, surreal fantasy of Cacciato's journey and his squad's pursuit across Asia and Europe. This imagined quest is interspersed with the grim realities of the actual pursuit through the Vietnamese jungle, as well as flashbacks to the horrific deaths of his comrades. Paul's fantasy becomes a way for him to cope with the trauma of war, imagining a world where Cacciato's desertion offers a path to peace and an escape from the violence. Ultimately, Paul must decide whether to embrace the comforting fantasy of Cacciato's escape and his own potential desertion, or to confront the harsh truths of his duty and the war itself.
Reading time
7 hours 30 min
Difficulty
Medium
Pacing
Variable
Mood
Surreal, Reflective, Haunting, Melancholy, Psychological
✓ Read this if...
You want a unique, introspective, and surreal exploration of the psychological toll of war, blending reality and fantasy.
✗ Skip this if...
You prefer straightforward narratives, strictly realistic war stories, or are put off by ambiguity and a dreamlike structure.
Plot Summary
The Desertion of Cacciato
The novel opens after Private First Class Cacciato's desertion from Alpha Company in Vietnam. He simply walks away from his foxhole one evening, heading west towards the South China Sea, declaring his intention to walk to Paris. The remaining soldiers, including the protagonist Paul Berlin, are left to process this bewildering act. Lieutenant Corson, the company's commanding officer, is initially reluctant to pursue Cacciato, fearing the implications. However, under pressure from higher command, a small contingent is formed to track Cacciato. This initial event sets the stage for the novel's blend of reality and Paul Berlin's elaborate imaginative escape.
Paul Berlin's Vigil and Fantasies
As the company establishes a night watch, Paul Berlin is assigned a long, solitary shift in a listening post overlooking a moonlit field. This becomes the primary setting for his vivid, extended fantasy. While physically in Vietnam, observing the real landscape and the sleeping soldiers, Berlin mentally embarks on a journey with Cacciato and his pursuers. He imagines the arduous trek from Vietnam through various Asian countries, across the Middle East, and into Europe. His internal narrative interweaves the grim realities of his past combat experiences with the hopeful, sometimes absurd, details of the imagined pursuit, creating a complex psychological landscape.
The Reality of Pursuit: The Tunnel
The real-world pursuit of Cacciato begins with the company tracking him to a suspected Viet Cong tunnel system. The soldiers, including Paul Berlin, enter the dark, claustrophobic tunnels, a common and terrifying experience for American troops in Vietnam. The fear of ambush, booby traps, and the unknown enemy in the confined spaces is palpable. This section grounds the narrative in the brutal realities of the war, contrasting sharply with Berlin's burgeoning fantasies. The experience inside the tunnel is a moment of intense, shared dread and a stark reminder of the ever-present danger.
The Imagined Journey: Laos and the Elephant
In Paul Berlin's imagined journey, the group, now including the pursuing soldiers, traverses Laos. This leg of the journey includes a surreal encounter with a giant, ancient elephant. The elephant, a symbol of the exotic and the unknown, represents the vast cultural and geographical distance they are covering. The group struggles to navigate the dense jungle and the unfamiliar terrain, highlighting the absurdity and the sheer scale of Cacciato's ambition. This episode further blurs the line between the plausible and the fantastic, characteristic of Berlin's mental escape.
The Past: The Death of Billy Boy Watkins
Interspersed with both the real pursuit and the imagined journey are Paul Berlin's vivid flashbacks to past combat incidents. One of the most significant is the death of Billy Boy Watkins. Billy Boy dies not from a bullet or a booby trap, but from a heart attack induced by sheer terror after stepping on a mine that fails to detonate. This incident deeply affects Berlin, revealing the psychological toll of war and the arbitrary nature of death. It highlights the theme of fear and the non-traditional ways soldiers suffer and die in Vietnam.
The Imagined Journey: The Mountains of Iran
Paul Berlin's imaginary trek continues, leading the group through the desolate, snow-capped mountains of Iran. This segment emphasizes the physical endurance and will required for such a journey, even if only in the mind. The stark, cold landscape contrasts with the humid jungles of Vietnam, highlighting the vastness of Cacciato's ambition. The group faces severe weather and the threat of frostbite, illustrating the universal challenges of a long, overland journey, regardless of the specific location.
The Reality of Pursuit: The Village and the Old Man
Back in the harsh reality of Vietnam, the company's pursuit of Cacciato leads them to a small, war-torn village. Here, they encounter an old Vietnamese man who seems to know Cacciato's direction. The interaction is fraught with suspicion and miscommunication, reflecting the broader tensions between American soldiers and the local populace. The old man's cryptic responses and the soldiers' frustration highlight the cultural divide and the difficulty of gathering intelligence in a foreign land. This scene grounds the narrative in the complex ethical landscape of the war.
The Imagined Journey: The Peace Delegation in India
In Paul Berlin's imagination, the journey takes a political turn in India, where the group encounters a large peace delegation. This encounter forces the soldiers to confront the moral complexities of their mission and the war itself. Some members of the group, like Oscar Johnson, are drawn to the idea of peace and question the pursuit of Cacciato. The scene reflects the anti-war sentiment prevalent during the Vietnam era and Berlin's own internal struggles with his role as a soldier. It introduces a moral dimension to the fantastical journey.
The Past: The Death of Lieutenant Corson's Nephew
Another flashback details the death of Lieutenant Corson's nephew, Bernie, during a patrol. Bernie's death deeply affects Corson, leading to his emotional breakdown and temporary incapacitation. This event forces Paul Berlin and others to take on leadership roles, illustrating the rapid maturation and loss of innocence demanded by combat. Corson's grief and subsequent withdrawal highlight the personal costs of the war, not just for the enlisted men but for their leaders as well.
The Imagined Journey: Tehran and the Hotel
The imaginary journey brings the group to a luxurious hotel in Tehran, a stark contrast to their previous hardships. Here, they briefly enjoy comforts, but the pursuit of Cacciato remains. The moral dilemma intensifies as they consider whether to continue their mission or abandon it. This moment of pause allows for reflection on the purpose of their quest and the nature of Cacciato's desertion. It's a test of their commitment and an exploration of the meaning of duty versus personal freedom.
The Reality of Pursuit: The Decision to End It
Back in Vietnam, the actual pursuit of Cacciato reaches a pragmatic conclusion. After days of fruitless searching and the inherent dangers, Lieutenant Corson makes the difficult decision to call off the physical pursuit. The company reports Cacciato as missing in action, a common practice to avoid the stigma and paperwork of desertion. This moment signifies the failure of the military system to contain Cacciato's act of rebellion and the futility of chasing an ideal. It marks a return to the grim, everyday reality of the war for the remaining soldiers.
The Imagined Journey: Paris and the Final Confrontation
Paul Berlin's elaborate fantasy culminates in Paris, the ultimate destination. The group finally catches up to Cacciato, who is living a peaceful life in the city. The confrontation is not violent but philosophical, as they debate the meaning of his desertion and their pursuit. Cacciato defends his choice for peace and freedom, while the soldiers grapple with their duty. This final imagined encounter forces Berlin to confront the opposing forces of escape and responsibility, offering a resolution within his mind, even if not in reality.
The Past: The Death of Buff and the River
Another flashback involves the death of Buff, a soldier who drowns in a river during a patrol. The circumstances surrounding his death are ambiguous, raising questions about negligence and the psychological toll that led to it. This memory further highlights the arbitrary and often absurd nature of death in Vietnam, where even simple actions can lead to tragedy. It adds another layer to Berlin's contemplation of morality and responsibility in a war zone.
The Imagined Journey: The Bridge of Sighs
In Paris, the imagined group stands on the Bridge of Sighs, a symbolic location for reflection and contemplation. They look back on their incredible journey, acknowledging its absurdity and its impact on them. This moment is a metaphor for Paul Berlin's own internal processing of the war. It's a chance to reconcile the horrors he has witnessed with the yearning for escape and peace, and to find meaning in both the real and the imagined experiences. The journey, though fantastical, has been a form of psychological survival.
Dawn and the Lingering Questions
As dawn breaks, Paul Berlin's long night watch comes to an end. The real world reasserts itself, and the soldiers stir. Cacciato is still gone, officially listed as MIA. Berlin is left with the lingering thoughts and feelings from his night-long fantasy. The novel concludes with the understanding that while the physical pursuit ended, Cacciato's desertion and the questions it raised about duty, courage, fear, and escape continue to resonate within Paul Berlin. The imaginative journey has provided a coping mechanism and a way to explore the deeper truths of his experience in Vietnam.
Principal Figures
Paul Berlin
The Protagonist
Paul Berlin evolves from a terrified, guilt-ridden soldier to one who, through his fantasies, finds a way to grapple with the moral complexities and psychological toll of war, achieving a form of internal peace or understanding.
Cacciato
The Catalyst/Symbol
Cacciato's 'arc' is less about personal development and more about his evolving symbolic meaning as the ultimate escape artist and a beacon of hope for Paul Berlin.
Lieutenant Sidney Martin Corson
The Supporting
Lieutenant Corson descends into a state of emotional breakdown and exhaustion, reflecting the overwhelming burden of leadership and loss in Vietnam.
Oscar Johnson
The Supporting
Oscar Johnson remains largely consistent in his skepticism but, through the imagined journey, reveals a deeper, more idealistic side beneath his cynical exterior.
Sarkin Aung Wan
The Supporting/Imagined
Sarkin Aung Wan remains a consistent figure of guidance and affection within Berlin's fantasy, symbolizing hope and an alternative to war.
Doc Peret
The Supporting
Doc Peret remains a steady, compassionate presence, embodying the enduring human capacity for care amidst the horrors of war.
Billy Boy Watkins
The Mentioned/Flashback
Billy Boy's 'arc' is static; his death serves as a foundational traumatic event for Paul Berlin.
Buff
The Mentioned/Flashback
Buff's 'arc' is static; his death serves as another instance of the arbitrary nature of dying in Vietnam.
Themes & Insights
The Power of Imagination as Escape
The novel's central theme explores how imagination is a coping mechanism against the brutal realities of war. Paul Berlin, while physically trapped in a foxhole, mentally constructs an elaborate, continent-spanning journey to Paris. This fantasy allows him to process trauma, escape fear, and seek meaning beyond the senseless violence. It shows the human spirit's ability to create alternatives, even when confronted with despair. The imagined journey is as real and impactful for Berlin as the physical war, providing a psychological refuge from the horrors of Vietnam, as seen in the detailed descriptions of the journey through Laos or Iran.
“It was a way of going after Cacciato, not in the real world, but in the mind. A way of making the world behave.”
The Nature of Courage and Fear
O'Brien examines the complex interplay between courage and fear, often showing them as inseparable. Paul Berlin constantly battles his own fear, and many flashbacks detail moments where fear leads to paralysis or tragic outcomes, such as Billy Boy Watkins' death by heart attack. Conversely, courage is not always heroic action. Sometimes it is the simple act of enduring or finding a way to survive, whether physically or psychologically. Cacciato's desertion, while an act of defiance, also requires a unique form of courage—the courage to abandon duty for a personal ideal. The novel suggests that true courage is not the absence of fear, but how one confronts and navigates it.
“Courage, he now knew, was not the absence of fear, but the ability to act in its presence.”
The Absurdity and Futility of War
The novel portrays the Vietnam War as an absurd and often senseless undertaking. From Cacciato's seemingly random desertion to the arbitrary deaths of soldiers like Billy Boy Watkins and Buff, the narrative highlights the lack of logic and purpose. The pursuit of Cacciato, both real and imagined, highlights the futility of military objectives when faced with individual desires for peace and freedom. The bureaucratic reporting of Cacciato as MIA, rather than a deserter, illustrates the system's attempts to impose order on chaos, even through deceit. The war's aimlessness is a constant undercurrent, driving the characters' despair and longing for escape.
“It was a war that made no sense, a war without borders or objectives, a war of random death and random survival.”
Duty vs. Freedom
A core conflict in the novel is the tension between military duty and individual freedom. Cacciato's desertion is the ultimate act of choosing personal freedom over military obligation, challenging the foundation of soldiering. The soldiers pursuing him, particularly Paul Berlin, are forced to confront this choice, both in their physical pursuit and in their mental grappling with Cacciato's motives. The imagined journey to Paris, a city synonymous with freedom and romance, symbolizes the yearning for an escape from the constraints of duty. The novel questions whether true freedom is attainable in such a restrictive and violent environment, and at what cost it comes.
“Some things are worth dying for, he thought. But some things are worth living for.”
The Nature of Reality and Truth
O'Brien blurs the lines between reality and imagination, suggesting that subjective truth can be as potent as objective fact. Paul Berlin's fantasies are so vivid and detailed that they become a parallel reality, a way for him to construct a narrative that makes sense of his experiences. The novel challenges the reader to question what is 'real' and what is 'true' in a war where conventional truths often break down. The imaginative journey is not merely escapism but a form of psychological truth-telling, revealing deeper emotional and moral realities that physical events alone cannot convey. This is evident in how Berlin's internal journey shapes his understanding of the external war.
“Story truth is truer sometimes than happening truth.”
Plot Devices & Literary Techniques
Frame Narrative / Nested Narratives
The story of Cacciato's pursuit is framed by Paul Berlin's night watch, containing flashbacks and fantasies.
The novel employs a complex narrative structure where the immediate 'present' of Paul Berlin's night watch in a listening post serves as a frame. Within this frame, two primary narratives unfold: the 'real' pursuit of Cacciato by Alpha Company in Vietnam, and Paul Berlin's elaborate, imagined journey with Cacciato to Paris. Interspersed throughout these are numerous flashbacks to past combat incidents. This layering of narratives allows O'Brien to explore different dimensions of the war experience—the immediate reality, the psychological escape, and the lingering trauma—all simultaneously, creating a rich, multi-faceted perspective on memory and coping.
Magical Realism
Fantastical elements are interwoven with realistic details of war, blurring reality.
O'Brien utilizes magical realism by seamlessly integrating fantastical elements into the otherwise gritty and realistic portrayal of the Vietnam War. Paul Berlin's imagined journey to Paris, complete with encounters with giant elephants, miraculous border crossings, and a love interest who appears out of nowhere, is presented with the same detailed conviction as the descriptions of tunnels or firefights. This device serves to highlight the surreal nature of war itself and the psychological state of soldiers. The fantastical elements are not mere diversions but are crucial to Berlin's processing of trauma and his search for meaning, making the unbelievable feel profoundly true on an emotional level.
Flashbacks
Past traumatic events are recalled vividly, explaining Paul Berlin's psychological state.
Flashbacks are a crucial device used to reveal Paul Berlin's past experiences in Vietnam and the psychological burdens he carries. These detailed recollections, such as the deaths of Billy Boy Watkins or Lieutenant Corson's nephew, are not presented chronologically but emerge organically from Berlin's thoughts and fears. They provide context for his present anxiety and his need for imaginative escape. The flashbacks serve to ground the fantastical elements in a harsh reality, showing the deep scars left by combat and explaining the motivations behind Berlin's elaborate mental journey, emphasizing the cumulative trauma of war.
Symbolism
Objects, places, and characters represent abstract ideas like escape, hope, and war's futility.
The novel is rich in symbolism. Cacciato himself symbolizes escape, freedom, and the yearning for peace. Paris represents the ultimate destination of escape and a return to normalcy and civilization, a stark contrast to the jungles of Vietnam. The tunnel systems symbolize the claustrophobia and unseen dangers of the war. Sarkin Aung Wan symbolizes hope, connection, and a future beyond the conflict. Even the giant elephant in Laos can be seen as representing the exotic, overwhelming, and sometimes absurd nature of the journey. These symbols enrich the narrative, allowing O'Brien to explore complex themes without explicit exposition.
Stream of Consciousness
The narrative often reflects Paul Berlin's unfiltered thoughts and perceptions.
The novel frequently employs stream of consciousness, particularly during Paul Berlin's long night watch. The narrative flows freely from present observations to past memories to elaborate fantasies, mirroring the non-linear and associative nature of human thought. This device allows the reader direct access to Berlin's internal world, his fears, hopes, and moral deliberations. It blurs the lines between objective reality and subjective experience, immersing the reader in Berlin's psychological landscape and emphasizing the power of the mind to construct its own reality amidst chaos. This technique makes Berlin a highly relatable and deeply explored character.
Critical analysis
Notable Quotes
“You could look at a thing and know what it was, but you couldn't look at it and know what it meant.”
— Paul Berlin's internal struggle to grasp the meaning behind the events of the war.
“The thing about war, you could make it up. You could make up your own war. You could make up your own peace.”
— The novel's meta-narrative theme, blurring the lines between reality and imagination.
“He would not die. He would not allow it. He would not permit it. He would not be caught dead.”
— Paul Berlin's desperate internal mantra for survival.
“Sometimes you have to make things up to find out what's real.”
— A key philosophical statement about the novel's narrative approach.
“The truest things were the things you could not see, the things that existed only in the mind.”
— Paul Berlin contemplating the nature of truth and subjective experience.
“He was still alive. And he was still afraid. The two facts were inseparable.”
— Paul Berlin's constant state of being during his time in Vietnam.
“It was not a matter of courage. It was a matter of being there.”
— Reflecting on the passive nature of soldiers' presence in the war.
“He would not run. He would not hide. He would go after Cacciato.”
— Paul Berlin's determined, though often fantastical, pursuit of Cacciato.
“The past was not a thing to be escaped from, but a thing to be entered into, explored, understood.”
— The novel's exploration of memory and its relationship to the present.
“War was a space in which the imagination could flourish, a territory where anything was possible.”
— The novel's central idea of using imagination as a coping mechanism in war.
“He felt that he had been living in a dream, and that he was now waking up, but the waking was just another dream.”
— Paul Berlin's disorientation and blurred perception of reality.
“Cacciato was a figment, a wish, a dream of peace.”
— Paul Berlin's realization about the symbolic nature of Cacciato.
“It was a long walk, and a long war, and a long time coming.”
— A reflection on the protracted nature of the war and the journey.
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Key Questions (FAQ)
The novel primarily follows Paul Berlin, a soldier in the Vietnam War, as he imagines or dreams of chasing a fellow soldier, Cacciato, who has deserted and is attempting to walk to Paris. This fantastical journey is interwoven with vivid flashbacks and present-day realities of the war, creating a complex narrative structure.
About the author
Tim or Timothy O'Brien may refer to:
