The Things They Carried Ch. 10-15

affluent

Wealthy

Pedal pushers

Calf-length slacks worn by women and girls.

Phosphorescence

A glowing in the dark

Shrapnel

Metal fragments from an exploding shell.

Circumference

The distance around something

Recede

Move back or away from a pervious position

Valor

Courage

Viaduct

Long bridge like structure with arches that carries a rode across a valley

Fatigue

Extreme tiredness or exhaustion

Flourishes

Gestures or actions intended to get attention

Prosperous

Financially successful

Intercom

Electrical device allowing two way communication

Reluctantly

Unwillingly

Why does Kiowa say it is wrong to set up in a church?

Because that is where God lives.

Why does Kiowa want to be minister? How is part of his reasoning ironic?

Kiowa doesn't want to be a minister, but he does like churches. The way it feels inside It's ironic because he carries around a bible.

The monks often make a "strange washing motion" with their hands. What do you suppose the motion means?

It was probably a special way of cleaning. It could also just be a tradition.

Why does O'Brien begin the chapter, The Man I Killed, with a vivid description of the dead man's wounds?

This was to show how gruesome it was. O'Brien is basically in shock over what happened. He is trying to make sense of what happened.

O'Brien gives a hypothetical, detailed description of the dead man's life. What is the significance of writing this?

He feels a deep sense of guilt and remorse for killing this man. He doesn't want this man to be forgotten or a nameless person.

What does Kiowa say to make Tim feel better and to stop staring at the body?

Kiowa says to talk to him.

How does the reader know that Tim O'Brien is still bothered by this incident when he writes this book?

Tim is still in shock by this. Tim O'Brien imagines what the man's life would have been like when he was alive.

O'Brien does not tell his nine year old daughter, Kathleen, that he killed someone in the war because it seems the right thing to do. Do you agree with him?

There is no right or wrong answer people. I agree.

O'Brien tells the Sam Satoru twice; one version is brief and the other is detailed. How does this explain his comment, "This is why I keep writing war stories"?

O'Brien is writing war stories to use as a coping mechanism.

O'Brien writes about throwing the grenade and killing the man, saying, "It was not a matter of live or die. There was no real peril. Almost certainly the young man would have passed by." What is his reason for killing the man?

O'Brien was afraid. It was his instinct to live. This is what he has been trained to do.

Why does O'Brien feel guilty for killing the man?

He feels bothered by the fact that he could've killed the man for no reason.

Wh does the man do in O'Brien's dream?

He walks by and smiles at him.

Why is the girl dancing?

Afar thinks it's a ritual. Henry Dobbins says she likes to dance.

Why does the girl cover her ears?

She does this to block out all the distractions and horror. She wants to find the joy in life.

Why'd Dobbins get upset with Azar?

Azar was mocking the girl and being insensitive.

Why does Tim O'Brien include this chapter?

There is weird stuff in this war. This also shows all the men are close to the girl who dances is like Dobbins stocking.

Describe the area around the lake.

There is a tar road around the lake. There was many houses, too. It was seven miles in circumference. The lakeside more affluent real estate and on the other side were the less expensive.

List a few of the things Norman Bowker passes during his many laps around the lake.

The houses were most handsome and set deep in. There were boats, gardeners, barbecue spits and grills.

How do Norman's thoughts correspond with driving around the lake?

He's having flashbacks of the Song Tra Bong. He wanted somebody to listen to his story but at the same time he didn't want to because he thought he was a coward.

Norman does not stop to talk to Sally Gustafson because "there was really nothing he could say to her." What does he mean by this?

Sally was Norman's ex. She was married to another man

Why is the title of this chapter ironic?

He feels the only way to attain courage was to get the Silver Star. He only speaks of courage.

Why can Norman not tell anyone about how he almost won the Silver Star? Does he really care about the Silver Star?

He's still upset of Kiowa's death. He blames himself for Kiow's death. Norman did not really care about the Silver Star.

Describe the events surrounding Kiow's death.

It was raining, the ground was wet. Kiowa disappears under the waste and the water. He was screaming, midfield, gunshots, and Kiowa drowns in sewage.

Why does Norman blame himself for Kiowa's death?

He could not handle the smell. He had a grip on Kiowa's boot and let go.

How does this chapter speak of courage?

He always talks about how he could've saved Kiowa's life.

Identify a flashback in the chapter Speaking of Courage.

Norman was having flashbacks of war. How he could've saved Kiowa's life.

Who was Max Arnold?

Max Aronald was Norman's childhood friend, who drowned in the lake.

What were the "seven honeys"?

It was the different types of awards/badges.

Describe Norman's mindset about his town and why he feels the way he does.

The town seemed remote. They were clueless about the war and impact. He felt undervalued by the people.

"Courage is not always a matter of yes or no." Identify one event within the chapter that conveys this idea.

Kiowa's death. The physical challenges of war require more effort than the challenge of combat.

"He was folded in with the war he was part of the waste." Describe how this is both literal and figurative.

Kiowa was drowned in the waste field. His memory is now folded in with so many other's that were lost in the war.

How is Henry Dobbins "like America itself?"

Henry Dobbins is big and strong, full of good intentions, a roll of fat jiggling at his belly, slow of foot but always plodding along, always there when you needed him, believe