Who carried it?
Who carried tranquilizers and was very afraid and anxious?
Ted Lavender
What happened to Ted Lavender?
He was shot and killed after using the bathroom.
Who describes how Curt Lemon's body was blown into the tree?
Tim O'Brien
According to O'Brien, are war stories completely factual?
No
Why is the phrase "they carried" repeated so often?
To show the emotional and physical weight of war
Who carried letters from Martha?
Jimmy Cross
What does Jimmy Cross do to Martha's letters?
He burns them
Why is Dave Jensen so paranoid?
He is afraid Lee Strunk wants revenge for breaking his nose
What matters more in a true war story: facts or feelings?
Feelings
He did not have to live with the guilt of breaking their deal and his friend got what he wanted (not living with such an injury)
Who carried a Bible and was religious?
What deal did Strunk and Jensen make one another?
If either got an injury made them lost a limb the other would kill them.
How does Curt Lemon's sister respond to Rat's letter?
She never writes back
Can a story be "true" even if it didn't happen exactly that way?
Yes
Why do the soldiers joke after something bad happens?
to cope with fear and sadness
Who carried extra rations and was seen as physically strong?
Henry Dobbins
What happened to Curt Lemon in the jungle?
He steps on a booby trap and dies
Who shot the baby water buffalo?
Rat Kiley after Lemon's death
Why might soldiers exaggerate the war stories they tell?
To convey how it felt
How does Jimmy Cross's leadership change after Lavender's death?
He becomes more serious and strict
Who carried responsibility (and guilt) for Ted Lavender's death?
Jimmy Cross
Why does Tim O'Brien feel like a coward for going to the war?
He is running away from the shame of not going
How does Elroy Berdahl help O'Brien make his decision to go home and to the war?
He remains silent and takes him to the edge of the Canadian waters, giving O'Brien time to think of the life he would be leaving.
A true war story is never...
Moral, uplifting, or fully believable
Are the soldiers scared of dying or surviving?
Both