Military

The theme of the military runs through the book on many levels. First of all, Mailer has a deep military background as he served in World War II in the middle of his college years. Many of his acquaintances, even those involved in the anti-war movement, served in World War II with him. Because of his military background, Mailer shares memories and feelings he had as a soldier when he was younger.

Mailer often draws correlations between military conquests and the anti-war protest. On the morning of the March on the Pentagon, as the protesters approach the area where the march will be held, Mailer describes them as post-modern soldiers, approaching the battlefield in an array of wild costumes from every time period. He remembers the exhilaration of going into his first battle and feels that this is a similar situation.

In addition to the protesters who are...