It's time to get deep. What's the meaning of life? How do you know if you have a significant existence? What's the purpose of this whole consciousness thing anyway? Yep, it just got real. Don't say we didn't warn you—on the surface, Shooting the Moon might not be about the nature of existence, but it is when you dig a little deeper.
The Colonel in particular is faced with some big questions about whether he should send certain people off to war, knowing it most likely won't end well. He has to weigh this decision against shipping someone else out. Remember, each one of these guys has a family back home who will be devastated to lose their son/brother/friend. There's no easy decision when it comes to which lives we should value more than others. Welcome to the big leagues, Shmoopers.
Questions About Life, Consciousness, and Existence
- What type of life does the Colonel want to live? How is this different than what TJ wants to do? What role does photography play in all this?
- Do you agree with the Colonel's decision about Hollister's papers? What does this tell us about the value of life?
- If you had to sum up the novel's message on life and existence, what would you say it is? For a real challenge, try to do it in a sentence or two. For a proper essay, be sure to bust out some evidence from the text.
Chew on This
Shooting the Moon argues that special treatment should be given to people who have already endured trauma and heartache.
The Colonel doesn't care about photos because he sees more value in living life instead of merely capturing it on film. He believes you have to choose either observation or participation.