#5 Cliche

Throughout the novel, I came across a few cliches that Ithought contributed to understanding of the story. They all tie in to the facts about war: "war is hell" (page 74), "you're never more alive than when you're almost dead" (page 78), and "win some and lose some" (page 212). A cliche is a word or phrase, often a figure of speech, that has become lifeless because of overuse. Writers are often encouraged not to put them in their pieces unless if they serve a purpose. I feel these serve a tremendous purpose. We all know war is hell. People are killed daily and the pain inflicted on families is unbearable. Also, the statement, "you're never more alive than when you're almost dead" shows how in war you make every move and every decision as if it is your last. War is unpredictable. Weapons are going off and soldiers hearts are racing. At any moment, it could be their last. Finally, the one that is most common, "win some and lose some". This cliche can be used for many reasons such as: games, wars, or just simply life. O'Brien puts these in his novel for the readers to understand the timelessness of his novel.