Sergeant Marx has trouble trying to reconcile three roles: that of top sergeant, a Jew, and as a human being. These roles continuously conflict throughout the story. Marx hides his inner self by acting as a gruff top sergeant, but on the inside he is slowly recovering from the psychological damage as a result of the war. He is rediscovering his religious and human side, and is somewhat easy to be hurt which allows Grossbart to use him. The most obvious example of Marx primarily portraying the sergeant role is at the beginning of the story when he says: "Maybe we shouldn't have G.I. parties. Maybe we should get a maid", and realizes that he sounds "like every top sergeant had ever known". Later on, when the sergeant ends up going to synagogue, he is displaying his religious side by attending the service. Finally, Marx clearly shows his human side when he gets incredibly frustrated with Grossbart's conduct and loses his temper. He vows to make Grossbart's "life miserable" and then yells "Holy Christ, Chinese goddam egg roll!" in anger. Sergeant Marx is a complex character who is secreted with inner conflict yet manages to see the bigger picture and do the right thing.
6. Mr. Marx was acting as a Human being at the end of the story. Yes, his decision is right. Because he doesn't want to be a person that peoples could swindle with. .
7. At the end of this story there says:" I heard Grossbart weeping behind me. Over in the barracks, in the lightened windows, I could see boys in their T shirts setting on the bunks talking about their orders as they"d been doing over the past two days." They are trying the best to accept their fate, doesn't matter if is good fate or bad fate. Mr. Marx is accepting his bad fate, because he had a trainee that swindled him. Everyone is accepting their fate; he should accept his fate as well.
11. Yes, the complex theme at its most general level necessarily involve the idea of Jewishness.
