View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In Chapter 19, what does Paul Berlin realize is the true value of the Cacciato pursuit?

2. While practicing in a fake minefield in Chapter 4, how do new soldiers know that have tripped a "mine?"

3. Which of the following is Paul Berlin shocked not to see on the mountain road in Chapter 25?

4. What is Lieutenant Martin's primary concern in Vietnam?

5. When do the the events of Chapter 2 occur in relation to Chapter 1?

Short Essay Questions

1. What decision does Paul Berlin make at the observation tower in Chapter 8?

2. Why can the Mayor of Ovissil not read Paul Berlin's history?

3. How does Third Squad end up on a cart with three Vietnamese women in Chapter 6?

4. Describe Paul Berlin's call home in Chapter 24.

5. What plans does Paul Berlin make for his return home in Chapter 5?

6. Describe Lieutenant Corson.

7. How does the quiet of the village in Chapter 16 become insidious?

8. Why do living circumstances become awkward for Third Squad in Delhi?

9. Why does the Squad take a vote on whether to continue pursuing Cacciato in Chapter 3?

10. Why does Paul Berlin feel guilty for Frenchie Tucker and Bernie Lynn's deaths?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In many ways, Going After Cacciato is a rumination on the idea of desertion. Paul Berlin longs to walk away from the war, and his fantasy of Cacciato's flight to Paris offers him a window into a desertion scenario. Write an essay about the agonized decision to desert, focusing on three moments in the novel:

Part 1) Why do the men of Third Squad choose to hold a vote on whether to continue the pursuit after they cross into Laos? What arguments are made, and who among the Squad cannot brook the idea of continuing on?

Part 2) When Third Squad is arrested for desertion in Tehran, how does Doc Peret defend them to Captain Rhallon? Why do they personally believe that they have not abandoned their greater mission?

Part 3) Sum up the Paris debate held between Sarkin Aung Wan and Paul Berlin. How does Paul Berlin defend his decision not to leave Third Squad? What temptation does he overcome?

Essay Topic 2

The narrative of the novel begins with the announcement that Cacciato, the simpleton, has set off into the jungle to walk to Paris. Although the men of Third Squad are annoyed, they do not question the impetus that drove Cacciato. Write an essay on Paris as a symbol in Going After Cacciato. Why does the idea of walking to Paris appeal to all of the men in the Squad? What does Paris represent to each of them, and what doe they find themselves doing once they arrive?

Essay Topic 3

In the character of Li Van Hgoc, O'Brien has created a complex portrait of the enemy for Third Squad to encounter, both a victim and perpetrator of Viet Cong cruelty.

Write an essay analyzing Li Van Hgoc and what O'Brien is saying about the nature of oppressive governance. How is Li Van Hgoc a threat to the safety of Third Squad, and why is he so kind and forthcoming? How does his faith illustrate the collective fate of the Vietnamese people in this cruel war?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,112 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample