The word “savagery” may only find its way into Tobias Wolff’s text once, however the feeling of the word itself and the themes that align themselves with the word are prevalent throughout (Wolff. 200).   Savagery is the key to the story in many aspects and areas. Anders and his savagery can be seen as a major key to the plot of the short story by examining the words that associate or are by products of his savagery as well, by showing situations or dialogues that contains this savagery and then how these things relate to the story and its tone, themes and plots overall. Wolff as well as his characters’ relationship to savagery itself, goes into what the overall meaning is. The relationship between Anders and Wolff is also an important part to the story and is something that the Author wanted to be very prevalent throughout. These, amongst all the other topics, contribute to Bullet in the Brain and its plot as well as the analysis of the writing itself.

Anders is created to be the antithesis to Wolff and in doing this, Wolff can describe his own life in a backwards way.  This can also indirectly show his fears towards life and how truly savage he believes it to be. This reflection theory is backed by the painfully obvious polar opposites between Wolff and his character Anders. This is exemplified in Anders being a “Book critic” compared to Wolff obviously being an author, and with Anders getting “his ribs kicked in by three police men at an Anti-war rally”, in contrast Wolff a military man, a Vietnam veteran who seemed to be very willing and ready to fight based upon his seemingly frustrated attitude towards being “marooned in the Mekong delta, more of a spectator than a combatant in a war where his skill and heroism were meaningless” (Wolff. 200, 205, 207.) However, one thing that you could point out to contradict this claim that they are opposites, is that both have this savage aspect to them, a no holds barred attitude, that Wolff described as someone who possesses “pitiless candor and mordant wit”, which does sound an awful lot like Anders (Wolff. 207.) But It becomes very apparent that Wolff can hone it and exclusively use it in writing, while Anders let this seemingly positive trait in his writing consume him, leaving him with no “on” or “off” switch.  This limitation had a powerful and negative impact on his life, literally. 

This then leads us back to what we began with, savagery, and its place within the fabric of the text itself, as well as the effect it has on main idea behind the text. Specifically, savagery in relation to Wolff himself and his attitudes, his life and its unpredictability as a whole, as well as the lack of control that exists in this world. This, in turn, brings out what Wolff’s fears or maybe even thoughts are towards life, all of which is expressed through Anders and his story. Anders first real example of his beyond controllable tongue is page 202 where he makes a comment about the cashier who shut down early to the women in front of him when he says, “There you go… Justice is done” (Wolff.) The reason why this is important is because it’s the first real time you can see Anders unwilling to let something go he really should have. It comes back to the main point of Anders being the antithesis of Wolff in terms of the use of his character traits. This leads into the aftermath of the “Capiche” incident (Wolff. 203.)  However, “Capiche” isn’t the important quote here (Wolff. 203.) The quote of greater importance comes after the gruesome description of killing; “The bullet smashed Anders skull and ploughed through his brain and exited behind his right ear, scattering shards of bones into the cerebral cortex”

(Wolff. 203,204.) Wolff’s description of the events is what makes the quote important and relates back to the main idea that he was an extremely detailed writer, as well as, to the fact that without the pure savagery at laughing in someone’s face, the real story would have stopped before it even began. The savagery isn’t only seen in the words but in the actions themselves. For instance, in the ending of Anders life, savagery provoked and ended the situation entirely. The robber and his actions lead to what is truly the most savage spectacle within the entire book.

Beginning with the start of the first paragraph on page 204, the cards that Wolff has been holding are now beginning to be seen. The lack of control or knowledge past death take over. This means Anders begins his descent past many seemingly more important memories then the last. These are the memories Wolff himself wants to have.   The fear of not being able to realize or remember things like his daughter “Lecture(ing) to her bear about his naughtiness” (Wolff. 204.) Things, that in everyday life, Anders didn’t appreciate or even think about until now through these last milliseconds.  Things he won’t get to experience ever again (Wolff 204.) This shows the authors fear of losing his family, turning into Anders, and forgetting forever. These proud moments, Anders’ shining accomplishments, everything in his life is gone, because of a lack of composure because of his inability to control his what he thought his largest asset in life was, that being his mind and his thoughts expressed through his pen or from what he says. “Mercy” (Wolff. 205) Even though the quote is out of context due to it being something he said in the past, it’s something that is still applicable in that he essentially just did the same thing to himself. Anders is the one falling through time and space or whatever death may be. Anders’ mercy is the one memory that came to mind while dying, the only memory that he has because he was truly at peace in those days. He wasn’t concerned or judgmental like the Anders that was just shot, he was curious and interested. It is similar to something a small child would do which is what makes the ending of what Wolff is getting at so important. There is no control over fate, and there is always an unknown. Back then when he saw someone do something that wasn’t right or something that just made them different, like Coyle’s cousin saying “they is”, it brought him joy and he took it for what it was and let it go (Wolff. 207.) The old mean worn down Anders wasn’t that way. Any opportunity given he tore someone down and would belittle them simply because he could not help it and obviously someone enjoyed it. Whether or not you believe in Heaven or god or gods, or if you believe it just ends and fades to black. Nobody will ever know. I think the main take away from Wolff is just to move on and stop worrying and critiquing, because we will all die one day. This savagery, that is the world, will get you and break you down every way possible. Everyone will have good memories and not so good memories, and coming back at life with as much savagery as it gives to you will not work. So, do whatever makes you happy. Even though Anders made things miserable for himself sometimes he still loved the misery itself. The child like enthusiasm for vernacular always excited him. This, I believe the rationale for his final memory. His real life really started the same place in which it ended, happily. 

Whether it was the detailed narration behind Anders or Anders directly speaking himself, the savagery and bluntness of his words helped mold the plot and the themes of the story throughout. The parallels between Wolff and his main character Anders, is the most important thing that Wolff puts in his paper because his true purpose, and why he wrote the story itself is that relationship. Savagery and its presence throughout the short story is the constant theme that made the story what it was and is why “Bullet in the brain” by Tobias Wolff isn’t a type of story that gets told that often. There are ups and there are downs, with savagery helping and hurting Anders constantly. Giving this tail a real sense of life to it, something a bullet can never take away. 
