Themes & Symbols
What theme is shown when O’Brien keeps remembering the man he killed?
Guilt and how the past stays with us.
Why does Rat Kiley struggle with nighttime patrols?
The darkness and constant fear make him paranoid.
Who says, “I start seeing my own body. Chunks of myself.”?
Rat Kiley.
How does O’Brien use imagery to show trauma in Night Life?
He describes the jungle as pure darkness, making it feel overwhelming.
Why do the soldiers start moving only at night?
To avoid being spotted by the enemy.
What does “night life” symbolize in Night Life?
The mental stress of war and losing a sense of time
What does O’Brien tell his daughter when she asks if he killed someone?
He lies and says, “Of course not.”
What does O’Brien mean when he says, “The past doesn’t go away”?
His guilt still affects him, even years later.
How is Ambush structured?
It starts with his daughter’s question (frame story), then flashes back to Vietnam.
How does the night shift affect the soldiers’ mental state?
It makes them more anxious and paranoid.
What do the bugs represent in Night Life?
The paranoia and hallucinations soldiers experience.
What does Rat Kiley do to escape the war?
He shoots himself in the foot.
What does Rat Kiley mean when he says war is “just one big banquet”?
Soldiers are just “meat” for the war, like food for the bugs.
How does O’Brien use repetition in Ambush?
He keeps replaying the moment to show how guilt stays with him
What physical problem does Rat Kiley have from the night shifts?
He can’t sleep and starts scratching himself badly.
How does storytelling help O’Brien deal with his guilt?
He imagines different versions where he didn’t kill the man.
How does Kiowa try to make O’Brien feel better after the killing?
He tells him it was a “good kill” and that the man would have died anyway.
What does Kiowa mean when he says, “It was a good kill”?
He’s trying to comfort O’Brien, but O’Brien doesn’t believe it.
How does O’Brien mix truth and fiction in his writing?
He blurs real memories with imagined details to capture emotion.
What does Rat Kiley confess about being a medic?
He says he’s tired of seeing people as just body parts instead of real people.
How does Rat Kiley’s breakdown connect to a bigger theme?
It shows how war slowly destroys a soldier’s mind
How does O’Brien imagine the young Vietnamese soldier differently in his memories?
Sometimes he pictures him just walking away, unharmed.
Why does O’Brien keep imagining the soldier smiling before disappearing into the fog?
t’s his way of wishing he hadn’t killed him.
How does O’Brien make Night Life feel unsettling?
He describes strange sounds, hallucinations, and extreme paranoia.
Who says they will vouch for Rat Kiley’s actions?
Lieutenant Cross.