How does setting lead to contradictions and confusions in the minds of the men? (What is the effect of setting given this story near a zoo?)

The story,"A Better Way To Die", was written by Haruki
Murakami. It appeared in the New Yorker on January 20, 1997. The
piece for the New Yorker was translated by Jay
Rubin.

The piece, which takes place in August of 1945 (the
ending of the war--to the month), takes place in the city of Hsin-ching at a local
zoo.

The piece details the events surrounding the deaths of
many different Chinese men wearing baseball uniforms with numbers on them.
Systematically, a lieutenant forces two prisoners to kill the Chinese men in the
baseball uniforms after asking the veterinarian if he is afraid of
death.

The veterinarian, previously putting what the
government deemed dangerous animals at the zoo to death, begins to understand the
different types of death one can face.

Basically, the
setting of the zoo adds to the contradictions and confusions which arise in the minds of
the men given the slaughter of both the animals and the men are based upon simplistic
ideologies of those deemed in power. In reality, some may not see the deaths necessary
based upon personal thoughts regarding individuals over maintained
stereotypes.

In the end, death is not picky. Death takes
people regardless of rank, education, or physicality if human or
animal).