I've enjoyed most of the book, with a few scenes excluded, so it's hard for me to pick just one chapter with meaning. One that stands out is the chapter "How to Tell a True War Story." My reason for this is that the story lists the classic "workers" conundrum. The fine dance of telling management (the officers) only what they want to hear. Paying all respect even though you know they only have their agenda in mind. To be not understood when being listened to; to want to be heard between the lines, Inter Linea, to tell the true story unedited. My example is the quote from page 73 paragraph 2: "The moral, I mean. Nobody listens. Nobody hears nothin'. like that [ ] colonel"
I connect with Rat the most. I didn't like what he did to the baby buffalo, but I understand why he did it. If pain was a person, wouldn't you want to try to extract vengeance on it? I can connect with his desire to do something about a situation instead of just being consumed by it. Rat's qualities, to me, is having a strong personality, being a broken up story teller, a courageous go-getter. Some one you want on your team, and hope to God the other team doesn't have a similar operator.
I wanted to point out the passage on page 77 for discussion, it lays about half way down the first paragraph : "...the purply orange glow of napalm, the rockets red glare. It's not pretty exactly. It's astonishing. It fills the eye. It commands you. You hate it, but your eyes do not." I find this to be very vivid, effective imagery. I get the feeling the author used the exact phrase "rocket's red glare" on purpose to tie this image to the Star Spangled Banner while staying tied to his present description of how war, in general, has the elements of a train wreck from which you can not look away from. How it's horrifically beautiful, simulating and deadening all at the same.
I've chosen two phrases I'd like to tie together for my passage of personal imapct. First "They carried all they could bear and then some, including a silent awe for the terrible power of the things they carried." (end of first paragraph on page 7) and "They all carried Ghosts" (second line toward the end of the second paragraph on page 9) All I could think was how true is this for all people in general. The only thing is most civilians are not introduced to their ghosts or acknowledge them. It's amazing to me how a three pound organ, the brain, can weight more than the body it controls. These two lines state that indirect, at least to me.
The phrases that you have chosen to share are really good things to point out. It's strange that what carry mentally and emotionally can be heavier than anything we have physically carried before. Somedays they weigh more than others. I keep saying that I can't image myself in their shoes, their lives, and I really can not. After reading this book I'm begging to think twice before I start complaining about my tedious problems and realize that things can be so much worse.
ReplyDeleteI liked how you picked Rat as your character to relate to in the book, Rat being, being the platoons medic had a lot of extra responsibilities put on him besides fighting. He had to care for the lives of every soldier in the group and he was one of the best at his job, this is clearly illustrated when Tim got shot and nearly died at the hands of Bobby Jorgenson.
ReplyDeleteIt's powerful when he mentions about carrying ghosts. My interpretation of this is that they're walking dead men.
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