RE: O’Brien “The Things They Carried”, answer questions

There needs to be written answers to the following questions as journals. They can be written as small paragraphs or bigger paragraphs.

“How to Tell a True War Story”

List the narrator’s comments about what constitutes a true war story. What do you think these competing and contradictory ideas finally add up to?

“Ambush”

In this chapter, O’Brien says that he keeps writing war stories because he did kill someone in Vietnam. In what ways is the title “Ambush” significant?

“Speaking of Courage” and“Notes”

What is the effect of “notes,” in which O’Brien explains the story behind “Speaking of Courage”? Does your appreciation of the story change when you learn which parts are “true” and which are the author’s invention?

“In the Field”

O’Brien writes, “When a man died, there had to be blame.” What does this mandate do to the men of O’Brien’s company? Are they justified in thinking themselves at fault? How do they cope with their own feelings of culpability?

“The Lives of the Dead”

On the copyright page of one edition of the novel appears the following: “This is a work of fiction. Except for a few details regarding the author’s own life, all the incidents, names and characters are imaginary.” How does this statement affect your reading of the novel?

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Speaking of Courage” and “Notes”

What is the effect of “notes,” in which O’Brien explains the story behind “Speaking of Courage”? Does your appreciation of the story change when you learn which parts are “true” and which are the author’s invention?

The chapter “Notes” is very important to the understanding of the story. The details and explanations help the reader understand and sympathize with Bowker. Bowker was just a normal guy who did extraordinary things. He was brave when he had to be, and he considered that to be something every soldier should do. The reader learns that even though Bowker has done amazing things, he still considers himself a failure for an event that was not his fault. Notes” gives “Speaking of Courage” much more depth once we find out why it was written. The fact that it was written after Norman died as a sort of memoir and explanation of why he might have done what he did makes it all the more heart-wrenching.

To me, notes made the previous chapter even more personal and meaningful. To see what was made up, it made the details that actually matter even more important. The point of that story is not where it was or the junior college or a lake and causeway. Its the effect the war had on the individual and their hometown, and how they felt like they didn’t belong anymore. “Norman Bowker’s letter hit me hard.

Answered on 02.06.2017.
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