Military Video Games

Military video games represent Jake’s naivety about what war and the military really are. His mother understands some of the realities of war, and as such, she does not want him playing the games. Kirk also does not like military games because his father is in the military, and as such, he also understands that war is not a game. Jake only understands the military as a place heroes serve, and he wants to be a hero like his grandfather. While he will never experience war throughout his time in the novel, he will come to understand violence on a more intimate level.

Military Medals

Jake’s grandfather’s military medal represents the courage he gets by thinking of his grandfather’s own heroism in the war. While his grandfather did not die in war, Jake does not know this until a decent...