The Poor Son

In Larry Rottmann's APO 96225, a son is writing home to his mother.  His mother begs him to tell her every detail, yet he continues to write shallow letters that don't really mean much.  Upon continual urging of his mother, he finally gives in.  He tells about how he killed a man and helped kill women and children.  This prompted his father to write "Please don't write such depressing letters.  You're upsetting your mother," (Rottmann, 846).  This situational irony is humorous, but in a sad way.  At the end, the son reverts back to his shallow letters that don't quite tell the whole story.  This exemplifies the attitude of the Vietnam War in America at that time.  Many people wanted to know about the goings-on, but when they heard the truth it was so disturbing they preferred ignorant bliss.  The speaker seems a little resentful of the war as well.  He writes this as though the son is frustrated with the situation, but trying to make the people he cares about happy.