Question

Which best describes the central conflict in “Ambush”?
The narrator is bothered by the fact that he lied to his daughter.
The narrator is haunted by the experience of another man.
The narrator is tormented by the grave dangers he once faced.
The narrator is frustrated by the empty assurances of Kiowa.

Answer 1

The narrator is haunted by the experience of another man.

Explanation: the story centers on Tim O’Brien’s internal moral struggle and guilt over killing a Vietnamese soldier and how that memory lingers and affects his truth-telling (including what he tells his daughter). The lie to his daughter and Kiowa’s comments are consequences, not the central conflict.