Calf

The calf described by Michael in Chapter 4 represents the O'Driscoll brothers' prospects for a new and improved life after their times served in the Civil War. The farmer gives them the calf thinking it to be worthless and stillborn, but Tom manages to raise it up to be healthy, just as the brothers plan to better their prospects and eventually own a farm themselves. Upon seeing the calf healthy, however, the farmer reclaims it, and Tom slaughters it out of spite. In so doing, Tom sets off a chain of events that eventually leads to Michael's arrest for murder. As the calf dies, then, so too do the brothers' prospects for a better life and peace.

American Flag

The American flag is a symbol for the American dream as a whole, specifically as it applies to veterans of the Civil War hoping to move on from...