Characters
Who is the main character in our book?
Jimmy Cross
How does Jimmy feel after Ted's death?
Sad, guilty, frustrated, etc.
What is worse: The physical or emotional weight soldiers carry? Explain why.
Answers will vary. There is not one right answer.
Name 3 tangible things that soldiers carry.
Rucksack, water, food, ammo, weapons, etc.
What is the term used for a soldiers backpack?
Rucksack
Who does Jimmy Cross love?
Martha
Why does Jimmy construct this elaborate, mostly fictional, relationship with Martha: What does he get out of it?
It helps distract Jimmy from the war and gives him something happy to think about/something to look forward to.
Why do the soldiers tell jokes about the war, about killing?
To help distract them from all of the horrible things going on during the war. As a way to cope.
Name 3 intangible things that soldiers carry.
Emotions & feelings (grief, terror, fear, sadness, PTSD, etc.)
Jimmy Cross carried a pebble with him as a ___________ of Martha’s love.
Token
Who was killed from Jimmy's group?
Ted Lavendar
How does Jimmy feel about Martha at the beginning of the book versus the end of the book?
He really loves her/is obsessed at the start but hates her at the end.
What do the soldiers dream about during war? Think: what is their main goal?
Freedom
“On the morning after Ted Lavender died, First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross crouched at the bottom of his ___________ and burned Martha's letters” (O’Brien, p. 22).
Foxhole
Depending on the different ___________ of the land, the soldiers had to carry different things to help them get through the battlefields.
Topography
Where is Jimmy and how old is he? (You need to answer both parts correctly for full points)
Vietnam war; 24 years old
Who is to blame for Ted's death AND why do they blame themselves?
Jimmy. He blames himself because he was too busy dreaming about Martha instead of watching his men
Explain the death of Ted Lavender. Give specific details: What was he doing? How did it happen? Why did it happen?
Ted was coming back from the bathroom. Jimmy was supposed to be watching him. Someone shot Ted.
After Ted Lavender's death, “he would not tolerate ___________. He would show strength, distancing himself” (O’Brien, p. 24).
Laxity
“The place was never ___________, never taken under fire, and the war seemed to be somewhere far away” (O’Brien).
Mortared
Name at least 3 other soldiers in Jimmy's group.
1. Ted Lavender
2. Rat Kiley
3. Kiowa
4. Mitchel Sanders
5. Kiowa
6. Henry Dobbins
How has Jimmy changed over the first chapter?
He went from only caring about Martha (selfish) to now caring about his men and being more strict/focused on his job as a lieutenant
In what sense does Jimmy love Martha? Give an example from the book.
Really loves her/obsessed.
- Licking the same envelope as her
- Carrying around her pictures
- Constantly day dreaming about her and other times they were together
Jimmy would be more strict and make sure he always followed the proper ___________.
SOP
“More than anything, he wanted Martha to love him as he loved her, but the letters were mostly chatty, ___________ on the matter of love” (O’Brien, p. 1).
Elusive