Figurative Language
Identify the figurative language device: “Like a killer forest fire, like cancer under a microscope, any battle or bombing raid or artillery barrage has the aesthetic purity of absolute moral indifference…” (O’Brien 68).
Simile
Who was Rat’s best friend that had died during the war?
Curt Lemon
Identify the device in the quote: "He says he loved the guy. He says the guy was his best friend in the world. They were like soul mates, he says, like twins or something" (O'Brien 65).
Repetition
What theme is represented in this quote? "It was still alive, though just barely, just in the eyes" (O'Brien 76).
Mortality/Death
Identify the figurative language device: “A deep pinkish red spilled out on the river, which moved without sound, and in the morning we would cross the river and march west into the mountains” (O’Brien 69).
Imagery
How did Rat take his anger out after his best friend, died?
He shot the baby buffalo
Identify the device/sentence type: "War is hell, but that's not the half of it because war is also mystery and terror and adventure and courage and discovery and holiness and pity and despair and longing and love" (O'Brien 76).
Run-on sentence
Why would the theme of mortality and death apply to this chapter specifically?
- The effect of mortality and death has on a person
- Curt Lemon
Identify the figurative language device: “The dark was coming on hard now, and off to the west I could see the mountains rising in silhouette, all the mysteries and unknowns” (O’Brien 70).
Personification
Why does Rat write the letter to Lemon's sister and how does it characterize Rat?
Rat wrote the letter to tell Lemon's sister about what a great soldier and a friend he was. This reveals Rat's kindheartedness and the care that he has for others.
What is the most significant use of repetition during this chapter?
- O'Brien repeats the same story four different times
- Show how a war story's details and real versus fake aspects can change
How is the theme of Love displayed throughout the chapter?
- Rat's unconditional love and care for Lemon
- Good people do bad things
Identify the figurative language device: “War is nasty; war is fun. War is thrilling; war is drudgery. War makes you a man; war makes you dead” (O’Brien 76).
Analogy
What does Rat's expression of grief show about him as a person?
- Shows that his grief had surpassed his compassion
What is the significance of the character Tim O’Brien retelling the war story of Curt Lemon’s death four different times?
- Each time he tells the story he changes the way it is told
- He does this in order to display the many different ways the events of a war can be shared with an audience
How does Tim O'Brien demonstrate the use of a light and dark motif throughout this chapter?
- Talks about negatives and hardships but highlights the positive aspects
Identify the figurative language device: “This next part, you won’t believe… And you know why? …Because it happened. Because every word is absolutely dead-on true” (O’Brien 70).
Paradox
How does Rat Kiley’s age play a role in Curt Lemon’s death?
- He is still a kid, immature
Why does Tim O'Brien go back and forth between telling specific experiences within his war stories and generalizing about how a war story functions directly to the reader?
- He does this in order to make the stories seem more relatable to the reader
- As an elaboration/explanation of his point
What main theme/motif connects this chapter to "The Things They Carried" as a whole?
War - up for discussion
light/dark motif - O'Brien tends to tell depressing stories, but will occasionally utilize a humorous tone