Death Coming Up The Hill: A Novel

The Vietnam War looms as a formidable symbol throughout the text, not just embodying conflict and loss but also encapsulating the pervasive chaos infiltrating Ashe and his family’s lives. It mirrors broader societal unrest and reflects Ashe’s personal struggles, a stark reminder of the emotional toll and harsh realities that define the era. This conflict becomes an ever-present backdrop shaping Ashe’s decisions, relationships, and emotional state, as reflected in his thoughts about attending college “to avoid the war, not prepare for it” and the pervasive influence casting a figurative haze over his life (21), illustrated by the metaphorical “fog of war” that clouds his surroundings (26).

Ashe’s teacher’s emotional outburst underscores the tragic toll of the conflict as he laments the “stupid war that has led to senseless suffering for the civilians and the soldiers on both sides” (41). As Ashe matures, he realizes that the reality of war starkly contrasts the glorified portrayals in the movies, stripping away any romanticized notions. His opposition to the war stems not just from political dissent but from an overwhelming, “plain old fear” (71), acknowledging the visceral terror war instills within humans.

The war’s grim toll and the loss it inflicts come to the forefront as Ashe reflects on the “thousands of sons, brothers, and husbands” who gave their lives for a country fighting a senseless war (88).