In the novel, the Things They Carried, O'Brien uses the concept of carrying as his overall metaphor. He describes physical items in which reflect the person that is carrying it. He also uses non physical things that the soldiers carry that have a heavy weight on them as well. Everyone carries things that affect them in some way. Some things I carry is myself, secrets, and books.
To start off with, I carry myself. I take care of myself, whether it's doing my hair, making sure I eat healthy, or exercising. Carrying myself not only includes physical traits but mental traits as well. When I am around people, I do not slump and act in a manner that is unattractive to people. I am usually friendly around others. This says a lot about my personality. I am generally a polite person. Secondly, I carry secrets. Everyone carries secrets. It doesn't have to be your own secrets, it could be a friend as well. I've had my fair share of secrets, and I've had a fair share told to me. What i will never do is speak of them.This shows my loyalty. Loyalty is another thing one can carry. It is rare, but there are loyal people. Lastly, I carry books. In school or even at home I carry books. I will be honest, I seldom read at home. It is often hard to find a book that seems pleasing to me. When I do find that book, I never want to put it down! The Things They Carried for example, was a very well written and interesting book. Maybe it only interest me because I am interested in war, but that defines my personality. I am very interested in the military. Books stand as a metaphor for my knowledge. I am not the brightest person, but I do appreciate learning new things. Ask me if I would like to learn something new, and my answer will be yes. These physical and non physical things reflect who I am. I am knowledgeable, independent, polite, and loyal.
Friday, August 22, 2014
The Lives of the Dead
13. What is the moral of the dead KIA's? Consider Mitchell Sanders' view.
A: Mitchell Sanders is stubborn to his decisions about morality. For example, when Kiowa dies, Mitchell Sanders blames Lieutenant Cross from placing them in the wrong area. Sanders also refuses and tries to talk Tim out of revenge on Jorgenson. Lastly, when Sanders tells Tim about abut what Rat Kiley had done to himself, he does not disagree to what he had done. Also, Sanders often comments on how others tell stories and is often trying to find the moral of them and events. The moral of the dead KIA's would be that they all had what was coming to them.
A: Mitchell Sanders is stubborn to his decisions about morality. For example, when Kiowa dies, Mitchell Sanders blames Lieutenant Cross from placing them in the wrong area. Sanders also refuses and tries to talk Tim out of revenge on Jorgenson. Lastly, when Sanders tells Tim about abut what Rat Kiley had done to himself, he does not disagree to what he had done. Also, Sanders often comments on how others tell stories and is often trying to find the moral of them and events. The moral of the dead KIA's would be that they all had what was coming to them.
Night Life
12. How did Rat Kiley get out of active duty? What is the author's purpose in including this story so late in the novel and right after the Ghost Soldiers?
A: Rat Kiley got out of active duty by shooting himself in the foot because he could not handle Vietnam anymore. This chapter shows how some of the soldiers acted up on cowardice and would rather take their own life instead of living the kill or be killed life of war.
A: Rat Kiley got out of active duty by shooting himself in the foot because he could not handle Vietnam anymore. This chapter shows how some of the soldiers acted up on cowardice and would rather take their own life instead of living the kill or be killed life of war.
Thursday, August 21, 2014
The Ghost of Soldiers
11. This is one of the only stories where the reader does not know the ending in advance. Why might O'Brien want this story to be particularly suspenseful?
A: O''Brien might want this story to be suspenseful so the reader can understand the meaning of the ending and realize that not every story can be easily predicted. He might want the readers to understand that even through negative events, there can be positive outcomes. Throughout the whole chapter, O'Brien had his heart set on getting revenge for the way Jorgenson treated him. At the end, the two become friends. Also, O'Brien may have wanted the story to remain suspenseful so the readers will stay interested.
A: O''Brien might want this story to be suspenseful so the reader can understand the meaning of the ending and realize that not every story can be easily predicted. He might want the readers to understand that even through negative events, there can be positive outcomes. Throughout the whole chapter, O'Brien had his heart set on getting revenge for the way Jorgenson treated him. At the end, the two become friends. Also, O'Brien may have wanted the story to remain suspenseful so the readers will stay interested.
Stockings
10. Consider the comparison the author makes between Dobbins and America. Does the author like America? Does he respect it?
A: Considering the comparison the author makes between Dobbins and America one infer that the Author does respect America. O'Brien describes the comparison between Dobbins and America saying Dobbins was big and strong, full of good intentions, slow of foot but always plodding along, always there when you need him, and a believer in the virtues of simplicity and directness and hard labor. In that description many positive things were said about Dobbins as well as America.
A: Considering the comparison the author makes between Dobbins and America one infer that the Author does respect America. O'Brien describes the comparison between Dobbins and America saying Dobbins was big and strong, full of good intentions, slow of foot but always plodding along, always there when you need him, and a believer in the virtues of simplicity and directness and hard labor. In that description many positive things were said about Dobbins as well as America.
Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong
9. What transforms Mary Ann Bell into a predatory killer? Does it matter that Mary Ann is a woman? How so? What does this chapter tell the reader about the nature of the Vietnam War?
A: What transforms Mary Ann Bell into a predatory killer is the war itself. Her curiosity and thirst for adventure slowly takes her over and she does not want to leave all this excitement. To the soldiers of the war, it matters that Mary Ann is a woman. Mark Fossie had only asked for Mary Ann Bell to come so he can feel comforted by her presence. He did not think about the affects the war would bestow up on her. This chapter tells the reader that the Vietnam War was something dangerous and could ultimately change someone.
A: What transforms Mary Ann Bell into a predatory killer is the war itself. Her curiosity and thirst for adventure slowly takes her over and she does not want to leave all this excitement. To the soldiers of the war, it matters that Mary Ann is a woman. Mark Fossie had only asked for Mary Ann Bell to come so he can feel comforted by her presence. He did not think about the affects the war would bestow up on her. This chapter tells the reader that the Vietnam War was something dangerous and could ultimately change someone.
The Dentist
8. Characterize Curt Lemon and why he behaves the way he does. How does this affect your reading of the previous chapter? What is the purpose of placing this chapter directly after How to Tell a True War Story?
A: Curt Lemon was a soldier who had the need to act brave in every situation. He valued pride and bravery. Curt Lemon acts this way because he is actually afraid but does not want to come off as weak and scared. This affects my reading of the previous chapter because I now know that Curt Lemon wasn't as brave as I had thought. I know now that having to show that you are brave is useless. This chapter shows that Curt Lemon was afraid of something so simple as going to the dentist rather than the dangers of playing with a grenade. This can highlight much of his immaturity.
A: Curt Lemon was a soldier who had the need to act brave in every situation. He valued pride and bravery. Curt Lemon acts this way because he is actually afraid but does not want to come off as weak and scared. This affects my reading of the previous chapter because I now know that Curt Lemon wasn't as brave as I had thought. I know now that having to show that you are brave is useless. This chapter shows that Curt Lemon was afraid of something so simple as going to the dentist rather than the dangers of playing with a grenade. This can highlight much of his immaturity.
How to Tell a True War Story
7. O'Brien tells the reader beforehand whether or not the story will have a happy ending. Why might he do this? According to the author, how do you tell a true war story?
A: O'Brien tells the reader beforehand whether or not the story will have a happy ending to prepare the reader for reality. According to the author,
"In a true war story, if there's a moral at all, it's like the thread that makes the cloth. You can't tease it out. You can't extract the meaning without unraveling the deeper meaning. And in the end, really, there's nothing much to say about a true war story, except maybe "Oh." True war stories do not generalize. They do not indulge in abstraction or analysis"
A true war story does not have a happy ending, it does not make the reader excited. A true war story is simple and short. O'Brien writes this chapter to differentiate between storytelling and his actual experiences. In an actual experience, you do not recall all events of what had happened. Story telling allows the author to shape how the readers should feel and can distort the actual meaning of an actual true war story.
A: O'Brien tells the reader beforehand whether or not the story will have a happy ending to prepare the reader for reality. According to the author,
"In a true war story, if there's a moral at all, it's like the thread that makes the cloth. You can't tease it out. You can't extract the meaning without unraveling the deeper meaning. And in the end, really, there's nothing much to say about a true war story, except maybe "Oh." True war stories do not generalize. They do not indulge in abstraction or analysis"
A true war story does not have a happy ending, it does not make the reader excited. A true war story is simple and short. O'Brien writes this chapter to differentiate between storytelling and his actual experiences. In an actual experience, you do not recall all events of what had happened. Story telling allows the author to shape how the readers should feel and can distort the actual meaning of an actual true war story.
Friends
6. Why are Enemies and Friends back to back in this book? What is the reader supposed to learn about humanity from these chapters?
A: Enemies and Friends are back to back in this book because it shows the contrast of both. In the chapter, Enemies, Strunk and Jensen disliked each other because of a simple jackknife. They later resolved their issue and became close friends. In the chapter, Friends, Strunk and Jensen made a pact to kill whoever is wounded to put them out of their misery. When Strunk gets wounded, he begs Jensen not to kill him. Jensen does not. Strunk is loaded onto a helicopter but does not survive the trip. Jensen feels rather relieved then sad to know Strunk had died. He feels this way because his pact is honored in a way, but was he being honorable in letting him live? Would he have been honorable in killing him? This chapter shows that two people can start off as enemies and become friends. Also, it shows that humans will always do what they think is right rather than what they should do.
A: Enemies and Friends are back to back in this book because it shows the contrast of both. In the chapter, Enemies, Strunk and Jensen disliked each other because of a simple jackknife. They later resolved their issue and became close friends. In the chapter, Friends, Strunk and Jensen made a pact to kill whoever is wounded to put them out of their misery. When Strunk gets wounded, he begs Jensen not to kill him. Jensen does not. Strunk is loaded onto a helicopter but does not survive the trip. Jensen feels rather relieved then sad to know Strunk had died. He feels this way because his pact is honored in a way, but was he being honorable in letting him live? Would he have been honorable in killing him? This chapter shows that two people can start off as enemies and become friends. Also, it shows that humans will always do what they think is right rather than what they should do.
Enemies
5. What can be learned from this story about soldiers during the war?
A: What can be learned from this story about soldiers during the war is that some might have fought over little things to keep themselves entertained and to release tension and stress from waiting. Also, it shows that even though some soldiers are on the same side of the war, they can still be enemies. For example, Jensen and Strunk did not get along during this chapter.
A: What can be learned from this story about soldiers during the war is that some might have fought over little things to keep themselves entertained and to release tension and stress from waiting. Also, it shows that even though some soldiers are on the same side of the war, they can still be enemies. For example, Jensen and Strunk did not get along during this chapter.
On the Rainy River
4. What might the 43 year old O'Brien's theory of courage be? Were you surprised when he described his entry into the war as an act of cowardice? What is the relationship between shame and courage, according to the author?
A: 43 year old O'Brien's theory of courage differs from his theory when he was younger. When O'Brien was twenty one, he stated that,
"Courage, I seemed to think, comes to us in finite quantities, like an inheritance, and by being frugal and stashing it away and letting it earn interest, we steadily increase our moral capital in preparation for that day when the account must be drawn down. It was a comforting theory."
This quote means that you conceal your courage until the day you must show it. I also believe that he is saying that the longer you wait, you may get to weigh the pros and cons of what you are about to act on. I think O'Brien as an older man might view courage as something knowing what is right and then doing what is right. I was not surprised when O'Brien described his entry into the war as an act of cowardice. O'Brien did not want to be a soldier, he know that this was not the life for him. In the novel, O'Brien tries to escape the draft but later decides to go back because he does not want to upset his family and friends. Courage would have been to defy your country and escape to live the life you want to. The relationship between shame and courage, according to the author, is that if the soldiers weren't afraid of being ashamed they might not have done some of the courageous acts they had done in war.
A: 43 year old O'Brien's theory of courage differs from his theory when he was younger. When O'Brien was twenty one, he stated that,
"Courage, I seemed to think, comes to us in finite quantities, like an inheritance, and by being frugal and stashing it away and letting it earn interest, we steadily increase our moral capital in preparation for that day when the account must be drawn down. It was a comforting theory."
This quote means that you conceal your courage until the day you must show it. I also believe that he is saying that the longer you wait, you may get to weigh the pros and cons of what you are about to act on. I think O'Brien as an older man might view courage as something knowing what is right and then doing what is right. I was not surprised when O'Brien described his entry into the war as an act of cowardice. O'Brien did not want to be a soldier, he know that this was not the life for him. In the novel, O'Brien tries to escape the draft but later decides to go back because he does not want to upset his family and friends. Courage would have been to defy your country and escape to live the life you want to. The relationship between shame and courage, according to the author, is that if the soldiers weren't afraid of being ashamed they might not have done some of the courageous acts they had done in war.
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Spin
3. " On occasions the war was like a ping-pong ball. You could put a fancy spin on it, you could make it dance." What does this mean? What is the "spin" O'Brien is talking about? Identify where in the chapter O'Brien "spins" the story, events, etc. What is he trying to show the reader?
A: "On occasions the war was like a ping-ping ball. You could put a fancy spin on it, you could make it dance." This quote means that war could be sometimes repetitive like how his unit went through ambushes many times, and how Bowker and Dobbins played checkers every night. The "spin" O'Brien is talking about is how anything can be said about the war, false or true. For example, throughout the chapter, "Spin", O'Brien has many different memories. We do not know if they are true or false. It is his memories. Sometimes the mind tends to make up things that never really happened. Towards the end of the chapter, O'Brien goes from speaking of Curt Lemon's death, to the death a boy that was killed. O'Brien is trying to show the reader that not everything is true about war.
A: "On occasions the war was like a ping-ping ball. You could put a fancy spin on it, you could make it dance." This quote means that war could be sometimes repetitive like how his unit went through ambushes many times, and how Bowker and Dobbins played checkers every night. The "spin" O'Brien is talking about is how anything can be said about the war, false or true. For example, throughout the chapter, "Spin", O'Brien has many different memories. We do not know if they are true or false. It is his memories. Sometimes the mind tends to make up things that never really happened. Towards the end of the chapter, O'Brien goes from speaking of Curt Lemon's death, to the death a boy that was killed. O'Brien is trying to show the reader that not everything is true about war.
Love
2. What is the purpose of this chapter? What kind of love is O'Brien talking about? Jimmy and Martha? Jimmy and the platoon? Jimmy and Tim? Tim and his work? Love for his country?
A: O'Brien writes this chapter to summarize the outcome of Jimmy and his love for Martha. His love for Martha had blinded him the whole war. He blames himself for the death of Ted Lavender because of his love for Martha. O'Brien writes this chapter to show how the soldiers who returned from the Vietnam War didn't come back to what they expected to come back to. For example, Jimmy might have expected to come back to Martha and to be with her, but Martha did not have the same feelings towards him.
A: O'Brien writes this chapter to summarize the outcome of Jimmy and his love for Martha. His love for Martha had blinded him the whole war. He blames himself for the death of Ted Lavender because of his love for Martha. O'Brien writes this chapter to show how the soldiers who returned from the Vietnam War didn't come back to what they expected to come back to. For example, Jimmy might have expected to come back to Martha and to be with her, but Martha did not have the same feelings towards him.
The Weight
1. In the list of all the things the soldiers carried, what item was
most surprising? Which item did you find most evocative of the war?
Which items stay with you?
A: The item I found most surprising that the soldiers carried was the "premium dope". If you're life is in danger, having drugs would not be the brightest idea. The item i found the most evocative of the war was the heavy ammunition the men carried as well as the other necessary items they needed such as canteens for water and weapons. The items that say with me are the personal items the soldiers owned. For example, Cross's picture of Martha, Bowker's diary, and Kiowa's bible. The meaning of the title The Things They Carried is not only about the physical things the soldiers held with them, it is more about the mental things they carried. For example, Lieutenant Cross carried the responsibility of the lives of his mean. That is a big burden to withhold. Another example would be the fear that Ted Lavender carried. The metaphor of the weight they carried shows the effect the war had on each soldier. O'brien states that the soldiers carry Vietnam on them in the form of powdery red-orange dust that covers their boots, fatigues, and face. This line signifies that even after the war, Vietnam will still be with them and haunt them.
A: The item I found most surprising that the soldiers carried was the "premium dope". If you're life is in danger, having drugs would not be the brightest idea. The item i found the most evocative of the war was the heavy ammunition the men carried as well as the other necessary items they needed such as canteens for water and weapons. The items that say with me are the personal items the soldiers owned. For example, Cross's picture of Martha, Bowker's diary, and Kiowa's bible. The meaning of the title The Things They Carried is not only about the physical things the soldiers held with them, it is more about the mental things they carried. For example, Lieutenant Cross carried the responsibility of the lives of his mean. That is a big burden to withhold. Another example would be the fear that Ted Lavender carried. The metaphor of the weight they carried shows the effect the war had on each soldier. O'brien states that the soldiers carry Vietnam on them in the form of powdery red-orange dust that covers their boots, fatigues, and face. This line signifies that even after the war, Vietnam will still be with them and haunt them.
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