After reading the second chapter of The Things They Carried I couldn’t believe Jimmy Cross still loved Martha. It was incredible that even though she showed no emotion towards Jimmy he still loved her. Even though his wandering thoughts about her cost Lavender his life and even though he had no chance with her, he still loved her. It is sad to think Jimmy may live his whole live hoping Martha will love him back.
I like the way the O’Brien switched the setting, both away from Vietnam and into the future. It was a very good way of focusing more on Lieutenant Cross and how his life turned out. O’Brien could have added suspense and held out on further information until the end of the book, but the book isn’t just about Lieutenant Cross and Martha. It will be interesting to see if Lieutenant Cross actually does manage to become a more focused leader as the book continues.
I pictured in my head a montage of memories after reading chapter 3. The way O’Brien remembers the majority of the war is quite interesting. The eclectic excerpts like the recollection of a one legged Vietnamese child and inter-squad jokes paint a bigger picture. Together all these memories create an image of the Vietnam War, an alternative image that highlights the relatively non-violent aspects of these soldiers’ downtime periods.
I’d like to learn more about what happened at the end of Chapter 3. Near the end of chapter 3 there is a series of memories. The outside of a village, a hand grenade, a dead malnourished young man, and Kiowa’s three lines of dialogue that follow indicate something traumatic that happened. I can only assume Tim O’Brien, threw the grenade into the village and unintentionally killed the probably innocent poor man. Perhaps this is one of the things he has to carry forever.
I like the way the O’Brien switched the setting, both away from Vietnam and into the future. It was a very good way of focusing more on Lieutenant Cross and how his life turned out. O’Brien could have added suspense and held out on further information until the end of the book, but the book isn’t just about Lieutenant Cross and Martha. It will be interesting to see if Lieutenant Cross actually does manage to become a more focused leader as the book continues.
I pictured in my head a montage of memories after reading chapter 3. The way O’Brien remembers the majority of the war is quite interesting. The eclectic excerpts like the recollection of a one legged Vietnamese child and inter-squad jokes paint a bigger picture. Together all these memories create an image of the Vietnam War, an alternative image that highlights the relatively non-violent aspects of these soldiers’ downtime periods.
I’d like to learn more about what happened at the end of Chapter 3. Near the end of chapter 3 there is a series of memories. The outside of a village, a hand grenade, a dead malnourished young man, and Kiowa’s three lines of dialogue that follow indicate something traumatic that happened. I can only assume Tim O’Brien, threw the grenade into the village and unintentionally killed the probably innocent poor man. Perhaps this is one of the things he has to carry forever.
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