A Late Encounter with the Enemy

“Procession” is the term the General uses to refer to Sally’s graduation ceremony. Like a funeral procession, he imagines the ceremony as dull and somber, connected with history and with death. His aversion to the procession symbolizes his fear of confronting the past.

The procession in this story is associated with the passage of history—it occurs at graduation, when a generation becomes adults and joins society, and the commencement speaker discusses history and the importance of remembering the past to create a more productive future. However, the General states that he prefers parades (which are associated with superficial beauty and commercialism), rejects the commencement speaker’s assertions, and is ultimately overwhelmed by the procession. Further, Sally prioritizes her grandfather over the procession—she leaves the procession to tend to him during the graduation ceremony and looks at him when she crosses the stage. Thus, Sally is caught between the procession and her grandfather, just as she is caught between generations, while the General pointedly rejects the procession and the passage of time.

Several times in the story, the General talks about his enjoyment of “beautiful guls” (136). This repeated motif supports the characterization of the General as out of touch and superficial.