What are the motifs in In Pharaoh's Army: Memories of the Lost War by Tobias Wolff?

Coming of age is a recurring idea in the book. Like literally millions of young people, Tobias Wolff survives a less than perfect childhood and arrives in adolescence damaged and uncertain as to his identity and what the future may hold for him. Although Wolff was a bright young man, his shattered home life contributed to his flunking out of school as a teen. Taking a job as a crew member on a private survey ship, Wolff was not accepted by the other more seasoned mates—he was too cheerful and too naïve for their tastes. Even though it wasn't a great job, he even messed that up by getting drunk and missing the ship's departure. The young man couldn't even hold onto a rotten job! Not exactly an exercise in confidence-building.