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Arguably the best writer on Vietnam War,
Tim O'Brien deals again with his Vietnam subject in his Tomcat in Love. However, unlike his
earlier books focusing on individuals' conflicts in wartime circumstances, his main concern in
this book is to reveal and critique American tradition of deep-rooted violence. In doing so, not
only does O'Brien trace the origin of American notion of manhood which has been one of the
dominant sources throughout his works, but also provide his reader with the alternative to it
that proves dangerous. Tracing the origin of violence to the era of founding fathers, O'Brien
now furthers his perception to the realm of religion that has strongly shaped American
mentality and posed as the absolute authority in American mind. The tendency toward violence
differs its appearances in different situations, and one of its various forms is the desire to be
a hero and to be recognized as such. When this desire fails, each individual, male or female,
is liable to depend on violence to achieve his/her desire. Criticizing such tendency, O'Brien
offers feminine values of love, endurance, and embrace as one alternative to such dangerous
and limited American manhood. (Sogang University)