War brings out the worst in all of the countries including its
citizens. In the novel “The Things They Carried”, the narrator talks about his situation
on making a decision to go to the Vietnam War. Throughout the chapter he goes
back and forth between not going because he sees no justifiable reason why the
United States became involved with the war and he did not deserve being drafted
to Vietnam (he was too good). Although he had some good implications about
running away and avoid getting drafted, the opposing side took over, because he
was fearful of being called a coward. In other chapters of the book it also talks about being facing one's fears and move forward. Another story where being called a coward decides the out come is on George Orwell's, "Shooting an Elephant".
Both stories tie into each other really good. In "The Things They Carried", O'Brien goes in-depth about a story he has never told anyone (Chapter: "On a Rainy River) , he wanted to runaway to avoid the war. O'Brien was really considering feeling the country to avoid the war. Although he had very good reasons to leave like not agreeing to the intervention in Vietnam. He was really close to cross towards Canada and avoid being drafted, but then he thought about what would happen in return for his action. O'Brien was going to be called a coward for not fighting for his country when it was at it's need. America is very patriotic and having someone that doesn't want to fight for America. He later decides to leave to Vietnam. This also ties into another chapter in the book named "The Dentist". In that chapter a soldier named Curt Lemon is terrified of dentists and faints when there was a check up on his team. He later went back to the dentist and insisted that he had a tooth ache and got his tooth pulled out. Even though he was not being called a coward or talked down upon he faced his own fear and did it.
Both of these chapters also show similarities to George Orwell's, "Shooting an Elephant". they all revolve around the same implications of men becoming overwhelmed with the title of being a coward. In "Shooting an Elephant", the narrator is faced with a complication of shooting an elephant that escaped from it's owner that was doing nothing wrong at the moment where he saw it. The narrator had his gun loaded with a whole crowd behind him to see the shooting of the elephant. Although he reconsidered shooting the animal and backing away, he decides to go ahead and shoot it. He was scared of being called a coward or "lesser of a man" because he backed away at the last second. All of these have a connection of men being fearful of being called a coward from their peers and eventually either facing their fears or choosing the path or the action they do not wish to do.
Both stories tie into each other really good. In "The Things They Carried", O'Brien goes in-depth about a story he has never told anyone (Chapter: "On a Rainy River) , he wanted to runaway to avoid the war. O'Brien was really considering feeling the country to avoid the war. Although he had very good reasons to leave like not agreeing to the intervention in Vietnam. He was really close to cross towards Canada and avoid being drafted, but then he thought about what would happen in return for his action. O'Brien was going to be called a coward for not fighting for his country when it was at it's need. America is very patriotic and having someone that doesn't want to fight for America. He later decides to leave to Vietnam. This also ties into another chapter in the book named "The Dentist". In that chapter a soldier named Curt Lemon is terrified of dentists and faints when there was a check up on his team. He later went back to the dentist and insisted that he had a tooth ache and got his tooth pulled out. Even though he was not being called a coward or talked down upon he faced his own fear and did it.
Both of these chapters also show similarities to George Orwell's, "Shooting an Elephant". they all revolve around the same implications of men becoming overwhelmed with the title of being a coward. In "Shooting an Elephant", the narrator is faced with a complication of shooting an elephant that escaped from it's owner that was doing nothing wrong at the moment where he saw it. The narrator had his gun loaded with a whole crowd behind him to see the shooting of the elephant. Although he reconsidered shooting the animal and backing away, he decides to go ahead and shoot it. He was scared of being called a coward or "lesser of a man" because he backed away at the last second. All of these have a connection of men being fearful of being called a coward from their peers and eventually either facing their fears or choosing the path or the action they do not wish to do.
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