War vs. Checkers

"There was something restful about it, something orderly and reassuring. There were red checkers and black checkers. The playing field was laid out in a strict grid, no tunnels or mountains or jungles." (pg. 31)

Checkers. A game that most people associate with nursing homes or geniuses brought comfort to these soldiers in the wilderness. This game took their mind off of all the things they carried and worried about. It was a way to sit back and not have to worry about the war they were in.

Tim also brought up checkers so he could compare this strategic game to the strategic war they were in. He did this through an extended metaphor between the two. He makes war kind of look like a game. Both checkers and the war in Vietnam have two opposing sides attacking each other. The playing field of checkers was like the map of Vietnam. Tim implies that he would rather be playing checkers because "the playing field was laid out in a strict grid, no tunnels or mountains or jungles." He also said in checkers, one always knew where they stood and where the enemy stood, which was not true in their war. He liked that there were strict rules. All of these things he wished could be a part of the actual war they were in, but they all just settled for playing or viewing this much more enjoyable war when their actual war was on pause at night.