This novel offers an enlightening, somewhat refreshing point of view on the generational battle. The use of conflict in this novel is very important to the plot structure, since the boy is in a battle against himself, yes, but also his literal community of peers, and also, importantly, he finds himself in epic showdowns with his prep school's leadership. This specific conflict gets an interesting treatment, because the narrative suggests that both student and administrator are ethically equal, since they're both liars.
The assumption is that academy should be rigorously re-examined. By seeming sure of things he was not sure about, Makepeace rose to the height of Dean at this school, which is a considerable leadership role in his community—no doubt. But when he lies about knowing Hemingway, the reader should be able to see straight through his character. Clearly, he lies to get ahead.
Then the analysis should be applied to Tobias Wolff's unnamed protagonist. Was he also lying to get ahead? He plagiarized, yes, but if he had made the story more his own, what would have changed? He technically robbed another person's premise and made it his own. The joke is subtle: Art is predicated on an ethical concession—all artists steal from the material that inspires them. Although in this book, that is clearly done in an ethically dubious fashion, the criticism is still obvious.
