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Theme Of War In All The King's Horses

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The nature of war has always been a cruel and inhumane part of our world and its history. Many themes, such as desperation and trickery, play a large role in the development of the short story, “All The King’s Horses” by Kurt Vonnegut. However, what is most particularly interesting is how Vonnegut portrays war the story and is represented the most throughout the novel is the theme of how destructive war is and how impactful it can be on many lives.

Firstly, Vonnegut often subtly uses symbolism and allegories in order to portray the theme of war within the short story. For example, Vonnegut uses the two kings commanding the rest of the chessmen to symbolize that the soldiers in war are being directed and forced to fight by the higher-ups. This
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