Vocabulary
M14 Anti-Personnel Mine, widely employed by U.S. Soldiers during the Vietnam Conflict. Its low explosive charge was just capable of blowing a man's foot off
Toe Poppers
I was the young girl who came over to see her boyfriend and eventually fell in love with Vietnam and become one with the land.
Mary-Anne
Who is the author of the novel?
Tim O'Brien
What does Kiowa symbolize?
American decency
Why does Lt. Jimmy Cross burn the picture of Martha?
Because Ted Lavender died and he felt guilty
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
I offered Tim $200 and the opportunity to escape Canada when we went fishing in my boat
Elroy Berdahl
How does O'Brien cope with the post traumatic stress from the war (and other traumatic experiences in his life)?
Writing stories
What does Elroy Berdahl symbolize?
God (the universe)
Where does the story take place?
Vietnam
A type of landmine characterized by its detonation only when pressure that has been placed on it has been released. After release, the mine springs into the air spewing shrapnel in all directions.
Bouncing Betty
I am insensitive and unsympathetic to several dead bodies throughout the story. I also make fun of a young, Vietnamese girl
Azar
Tim O'Brien says, "I was a coward. I went to war." What does he mean by this?
He didn't stand up for what he truly believed in (that the war was wrong)
What does Mary Anne symbolize?
American Arrogance
In the first chapter, O'Brien describes all the things the men had to carry. Why does he take so much time and go into detail with all of these items?
He wants the reader to understand the physical and emotional weight the soldiers carried with them.
Term for a Vietnamese Soldier
Vietcong (VC)
I was killed while playing a game of "Catch" with a grenade. Tim had to pick pieces of me out of a tree.
Curt Lemon
List at least two symptoms of PTSD.
1.intrusive memories, flashbacks, and/or distress
2. avoidance of people and places; detachment of others
3. increased heart rate or muscular tension, restlessness, difficulty sleeping, poor concentration, irritability, feeling on guard
What does Kathleen symbolize?
Modern America; young and naive; doesn't understand why soldiers are still hung up over the war
What problems does Norman Bowker struggle with after the war? (List three)
1. He cannot keep a job
2. He suffers from PTSD
3. He has no one to talk to about the war
Unable to be touched or grasped; not having physical presence.
Intangible
I wore my ex-girlfriend's pantyhose on my neck as a good luck charm. They worked too!
Henry Dobbins
Dulce Et Decorum Est and The Things They Carried share a similar theme (message). What is it?
War is s**t and isn't glorious
The Young Vietnamese Soldier
All the faceless Vietnamese that died
Why do several of the men hang onto things from women back in the states who they aren't even in a relationship with anymore? (List three)
1. It gives them hope
2. It gives them a sense of home
3. It reminds them of something to return home to