Discussion Question #3

Discuss whether the climax has already passed with Mcwatt's killing of Kid Sampson.

Although the author uses confusing chronology, the story has not yet reached its climax. Mcwatt flying into Kid Sampson is a crucial point in the novel, as it brings home to the men the fact of death in the war. However, it is a tool to set up more conflicts in the book, and not as the climax of the novel. For instance, Kid Sampson's death set up existential trouble for Doc Daneeka because he was falsely written on the flight log, and thus considered dead. "'Doc Daneeka's up there, too.' 'I'm right here,' contended Doc Daneeka, in a strange and troubled voice, darting an anxious look at Sergeant Knight" (Heller 338-339). This quote is from the group on the beach watching as Mcwatt kills Kid Sampson and then himself. From this point, nobody seems to acknowledge Doc, which is obviously setting up some bigger conflict. Mcwatt's mistake can't be the climax of the book because it is used as a plot device to set up bigger conflicts.