When Is It Enough?

" 'Want to hear about the Silver Star I almost won?' Norman Bowker whispered, but none of the workmen looked up (pg 144)."

This entire chapter is devoted to the troubles Norman Bowker experienced after returning home from the war. He had to go back to a small town full of people completely unaware of what he had been through or even the world around them. No one had seen the number of killings he had seen or become as almost zombie-like to it as he had. He felt alone, as though no one could understand him. And that much is true. No one would have been able to comprehend the things he'd lived through, so his loneliness was substantially justified. He also had not stopped feeling guilt for not being able to save Kiowa or bring home a medal to show his father. This, of course, brings me back to the theme I have mentioned once before. The shame he feels at failing to earn the Silver Star is so overwhelming that he shuts himself off to the world and can hardly tell the story to anyone. And, still, a question keeps ringing in my head: "Shouldn't serving one's country be enough?"