Going After Cacciato

SOME BASICS

Published in 1979, this novel won the National Book Award.

In Going After Cacciato, Tim O'Brien juxtaposes the stories of soldiers Cacciato and Paul Berlin. Cacciato is seen from the outside, his character is mysterious and indistinct; Berlin is the focal point, the protagonist, and we know his thoughts and feelings. The novel is also a story within a story. For Paul, story-telling is an escape from the horrors and loneliness of war. Overall, the novel tells the story of the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War.

METAFICTION AND REALISM

The combination of metafictional qualities and gritty characterizations make it possible to experience the book on many levels. One could be forgiven for reading it just for the story, since the novel is a real page-turner. Yet, by the end of Going After Cacciato, readers will likely compare the perceptions and conflicts of the soldier characters with those of ordinary Americans and how they tried to make sense of the conflict. In other words, it really gets under the skin.