Chris entering camp
Chris entering the platoon is one of the most important pieces of imagery in the movie, as it shows how he began his time at war. He began as a naïve boy who believed that he could help the war effort, instead of being a part of the destruction, hoping to save the lives of his loved ones. In this particular way, he represents the country and the way the people in it are thinking, having hope through the war. This is a stark contrast to how he leaves the platoon, which is also an important instance of imagery.
Barnes killing the chief’s wife
When Chris enters the platoon, he quickly understands that there were two main groups. One was ruthless while the other was hopeful. He didn’t know just how ruthless and brutal the other group was until he has Barnes, a sergeant and the leader of his group killing the chief’s wife in cold blood because he was angry. His group was also going to rape two innocent young girls as well as kill the chief’s daughter. They are stopped before they get that far, but Chris knows what they had planned to do.
Chris killing Barnes and heading home
When Chris kills Barnes, the roles are reversed. Instead of Barnes being the ruthless one, killing his own men and never looking back while Chris struggles to survive, Chris kills Barnes and heads home. It shows how different he was when he came to the platoon to when he left. In the beginning, he was unsure he could ever kill anyone, even the enemy. In the end, he killed someone that was supposed to be his partner.
