For the last blog, I want to talk about the ending. I mean how can you blog about a book and not talk about that? You can't! So this book ends with O'Brien saying "I realize it as Tim trying to save Timmy's life with a story" (page 233). After reading this line, I was really confused. I was not sure what he wanted us to take from this at first, but after thinking I somewhat understand it. Linda's death was hard for Tim at a fairly young age. He had to deal with it, and I think he dealed with it by telling stories. In his dream, Linda compares herself to a book and says she "jsut hope[s] somebody'll pick it up and start reading" (page 232). When she says this, I think it compells Tim to start writing and telling stories. By telling stories, you do not forget. Since the dead cannot come back and tell people about themselves, Tim feels like he should tell their story for them. He starts to tell stories as a way to coop with his greif. By telling stories, Tim remembers the people not as just dead people, but as the people he knew and loved. His stories bring them to life.
Overall, I really did enjoy this book. It had some good and interesting stories. I did like it better than the other book, so I am glad I saved it for last!
Friday, August 13, 2010
Euphemism!!!!
When I was reading, I found two instances where euphemisms were used. On page 209, it says "Too many body bags." On page 224, it says "she kicked the bucket". Both of these mean that people died. I found it weird how O'Brien could explain to the finest detail about a dead person, but at page 209 could not say a lot of people died. I think that death is such a touchy subject, and honestly, I think it should. Death is not an easy thing to deal with. When I saw euphemisms in a book about war and death, I thought about how much we hate to talk about it. I am not sure I just found these euphemisms somewhat ironic in the story since we heard all about Kiowa, Lavendar, and the young soldier's death. Euphemisms are used so much and sometimes they can be funny, but they really do lighten the situation or make it not so hard to say what happened. This is just something I thought of when I cam across these.
SAD:(
page 188:
"Sanders shrugged. 'People change. Situations change. I hate to say this, man, but you're out of touch. Jorgenson- he's with us now.'
' And I'm not?'
Sanders looked at me for a moment.
'No,' he said. ' I guess you're not.' "
After reading this, I felt sorry for Tim. He left because he was hurt. He didn't choose to leave, and when he talks to Sanders he finds out he isn't one of them anymore. Its like he was divorced from the group. Before they were his family, and now he is almost like an outcast since he was gone for so long. Also, I know that before they must have held it against Jorgenson, but now Tim is gone, so they side with Jorgenson. It really is sad because I know how it feels to lose friends. Even though Tim hasn't completely lost them as friends, he must feel some sort of betrayl because they are acting like they like the person who hurt him more than him. I think this is harsh of Sanders to say especially since Tim did not want to be relieved from duty. This part stuck out to me because I feel sorry easily.
"Sanders shrugged. 'People change. Situations change. I hate to say this, man, but you're out of touch. Jorgenson- he's with us now.'
' And I'm not?'
Sanders looked at me for a moment.
'No,' he said. ' I guess you're not.' "
After reading this, I felt sorry for Tim. He left because he was hurt. He didn't choose to leave, and when he talks to Sanders he finds out he isn't one of them anymore. Its like he was divorced from the group. Before they were his family, and now he is almost like an outcast since he was gone for so long. Also, I know that before they must have held it against Jorgenson, but now Tim is gone, so they side with Jorgenson. It really is sad because I know how it feels to lose friends. Even though Tim hasn't completely lost them as friends, he must feel some sort of betrayl because they are acting like they like the person who hurt him more than him. I think this is harsh of Sanders to say especially since Tim did not want to be relieved from duty. This part stuck out to me because I feel sorry easily.
Why We NEED these Stories
There are so many different stories in this book that O'Brien shares with us. He tells these stories so that people never forget. He wants people to understand the war and the things that the soldiers went through. On page 175, his daughter Kathleen says "Some dumb thing happens a long time ago and you can't even forget it". This supports every reason of why O'Brien should and does tell these stories. People die off and forget what happens, but those people who were there and witnessed firsthand what happened must tell the stories. If people forget or say that what happened was stupid, then I think there is more of a chance of it happening again. You know what they say, "History repeats itself". By telling the stories, O'Brien makes sure that we know of the terrible things that happened and how hard it was on him. We can better understand history by these stories. Also, this reminds me of the survivors of the Holocaust telling their stories because already people are saying it never happened. Through their stories, the survivors make sure everyone knows it happened and are making sure history does not repeat itself.
Twins! (not really but kind of)
Page 165: "She won't send another one. She's not even my girl anymore, she won't... Man I got to find it."
When I read page 165, I was instantly reminded of Cross at the very beginning of the story. The young soldier had lost this picture of the girl he was most likely still in love with. He was caring more about losing this picture than Kiowa, who had been killed. Cross was the same to me. In the beginning, he carried around letters, pictures, and gifts from Martha. She did not love him, but he loved her, just like the young soldier and his once girl. When Lavendar died, he had been thinking of Martha, just like the soldier had been thinking of the girl in his picture. Either way, the two of them were focusing on something that should have been in the back of their minds. When they were at war, I think they needed to think of their fellow men because they were the ones who had each others back.
When I read page 165, I was instantly reminded of Cross at the very beginning of the story. The young soldier had lost this picture of the girl he was most likely still in love with. He was caring more about losing this picture than Kiowa, who had been killed. Cross was the same to me. In the beginning, he carried around letters, pictures, and gifts from Martha. She did not love him, but he loved her, just like the young soldier and his once girl. When Lavendar died, he had been thinking of Martha, just like the soldier had been thinking of the girl in his picture. Either way, the two of them were focusing on something that should have been in the back of their minds. When they were at war, I think they needed to think of their fellow men because they were the ones who had each others back.
Why Is It Important??
When reading this book, I was wondering why what the soldiers carried was so important. It is interesting and all but I wasn't sure why it was such a focus of this book. I figured it out when I read about the young man that Tim killed. When I read about how they found "a pouch of rice, a comb, fingernail clipper, a few soiled piasters, a snapshot of a young woman standing in front of a parked motorcycle" (page 123), I felt almost sad. When you see what they carried, you learn about who that person was and a little about their life. If a soldier died, what they carried could identify them and make them human, not just a soldier or the enemy. I think that Tim feels worse when he begins to learn about the man because he realizes that this guy is in the same boat as him. I think that by reading this part I see why what they carried was so important to them. Also, I think what they carried for personal reasons would take their mind off the war. I know if I was in war I would want to escape even just a few minutes from it and put myself in a different place, like a picture of my friends or family.
Details, Details, Details
On page 118, there are so many great details. A few examples are: "his eyebrows were thin and arched like a woman's eyebrow" , "clean black hair was swept upward into the cowlick at the rear of the skull, his forehead was lightly freckled", and "the blood there was think and shiny".
All of these phrases I find as perfect examples of how detailed this story was. O'Brien did not leave much to the imagination. He pretty much wrote out every detail of the situation. The reader did not have to wonder what was going on or what they saw or smelt because he wrote everything that a reader would ever want to know. Sometimes this meant even some gruesome or graphic images, such as the ones above that deal with the man Tim shot. I really liked this about the book because details always make me feel like I am there in the story. Also, most people never have experienced the things that take place in the book, but O'Brien makes us feel like we have after reading his intricate writing. I think this mad the book very good. Details make the reader feel one with the characters.
All of these phrases I find as perfect examples of how detailed this story was. O'Brien did not leave much to the imagination. He pretty much wrote out every detail of the situation. The reader did not have to wonder what was going on or what they saw or smelt because he wrote everything that a reader would ever want to know. Sometimes this meant even some gruesome or graphic images, such as the ones above that deal with the man Tim shot. I really liked this about the book because details always make me feel like I am there in the story. Also, most people never have experienced the things that take place in the book, but O'Brien makes us feel like we have after reading his intricate writing. I think this mad the book very good. Details make the reader feel one with the characters.
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