World War I had a profound effects on the ordinary soldiers who participated. In this book, Dos Passos uses three American soldiers; Chris Chrisfield, Dan Fuselli and John Andrews to illustrate how the War had an impact on ordinary soldiers. Fusseli is a young soldier. He is a little man, unpleasant and always terrified with anyone who holds a rank in the army, but he is determined to please them in order to be recommended for promotion. His determination gives him private first class but fails to get the corporal ranks which he dearly wanted. On the other hand, Chrisfield is a despairing soldier, who always feels angry. His anger is evident among his comrades and it is further complicated when he eventually kills fellow officer with a grenade.He harbors no regrets about his actions but is afraid of being caught and charged with murder. Andrew is a funny character but bright and thoughtful than his fellow comrades. He is more informed, educated and can communicate in French very well. Andrew views himself as a free man who resist submission with the will of others and this makes him despise the army.
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Best part of story, including ending:
I like the novel because most characters understands their roles. For instance, Andrew is able to use his cunning ability to gain freedom, yet, his own resistance to authority fails.
Best scene in story:
The scene which i liked was chapter 5: The world Outside, scene where where the soldiers uses humor to relay what they feel. Their humor makes the novel more interesting and encourages the audience to continue reading.
Opinion about the main character:
Though we do not really get to understand main characters till almost the end of the book, their relationship with authority is not clearly brought out.
