How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
All afternoon, drunken POWs staggered off the train, but the train didn't stop for them. They had to find their own way. (4.33.2)
After the war the men are so desperate to both forget and have a good time, that they'll take every opportunity they can to drink themselves into oblivion.
Quote #8
Louie and Fred hit the town. Seemingly everyone they met wanted to take them somewhere, feed them, buy them drinks. (4.33.47)
These men are war heroes, and people want to find a way to show their appreciation. And what better way than booze? Maybe if they had bought Louie cheeseburgers, he would have been morbidly obese instead of having a chronic drinking problem.
Quote #9
The alcohol had brought him a pleasant numbness. […] When the harsh push of memory ran through Louie, reaching for his flask became as easy slapping a swatter on a fly. (5.34.31)
It's hard for us to blame Louie for drinking so much. We just read about all the horrible things he lived through and we're already looking to forget a few chapters.