what year was the college reunion where Jimmy Cross reunited with Martha? The platoons medic. -Graham S. The timeline below shows where the character Dave Jensen appears in. In the end, when Strunk loses his leg, his fear of Jensen killing him is absolute. A soldier in the Alpha Company and one of the few unsympathetic characters in the work. He shows Strunk what he has done and asks whether they were now even; Strunk says sure. Though his ideas of storytelling may or may not agree with OBriens in the end, his ability to tell stories and to discuss their nuances makes a profound impression on OBrien. Who shares the story of the girlfriend in Vietnam? Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. One morning on patrol Dave Jensen and Lee Strunk get into a fistfight over a missing jackknife that Jensen thinks Strunk has stolen. Lee Strunk steps on a rigged mortar round. Why does OBrien become angry at Bobby Jorgenson and eventually want to get revenge on him? What does Lee Strunk confess to Tim O'Brien in the morning? Central Idea Essay: Is the Book Fiction or Memoir? Because of this, Jensen starts to worry, growing anxious of what revenge Strunk might take on him. Dave Jensen carries soap, dental floss, foot powder, and vitamins. The author remembers that beforeStrunkwas fatally hurt,Strunkand Dave Jensen had made a pact that if either man were irreparably harmed, the other man would see that he was quickly killed. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." How do the soldiers cope with death during wartime? Which man cut off the thumb of a dead Viet-Cong boy? Germaphobe- his fear is almost irrational, tries precautions but still cant stop disease/death. He is a perfect example of the incongruities in Vietnam. This is another pair of slightly less important soldiers. When the war is over, he uses his ability to tell stories to deal with his guilt and confusion over the atrocities he witnessed in Vietnam, including the death of several of his fellow soldiers and of a Viet Cong soldier by his own hand. After all, should a soldier be more afraid of one of his own company, even someone with whom he has had an argument, than an entire country of men who would shoot him on sight? . Strunk is evacuated by helicopter, but the unit learns later that he had died in transit. Although Jorgensons anger prompts him to kick OBrien in the head for trying to scare him, he later apologizes, redeeming himself as a medic by patching things up with OBrien. Henry Dobbins carries extra rations. However, whenStrunkis actually hurt, he begs Jensen to spare him, and Jensen complies. Then, he sat down with his head in his arms and did not move for two hours. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. | Just as he assumes, in Enemies, that he has broken a social code by wronging Strunk and must therefore feel bad, so too in Friends does he feel he has broken a social code by not honoring the terms of his pact with Strunk, even though Strunk is the one who waves off the pact. Why was Curt Lemon "all smiles" the next morning? On what occasion does Rat Kiley write a letter to a man's sister? OBrien contends that war is a time when fantasies are shattered and notions of honor are rendered obsolete in the frightening face of death. Norman Bowker carries a diary. How is Henry Dobbins described by the narrator? Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Tim O'Brien and The Things They Carried Background, Read an in-depth analysis of Mitchell Sanders, Read an in-depth analysis of Norman Bowker, Read an in-depth analysis of Elroy Berdahl, Read an in-depth analysis of Mary Anne Bell. What did he do that night after he fainted in the dentist tent? How do we know the narrator is the author, Tim O'Brien? Thanks for creating a SparkNotes account! Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs Cross is well intentioned but unsure of how to lead his men. Because of this, Jensen starts to worry, growing anxious of what revenge Strunk might take on him. Dave Jensen was always extra prepared. Enemies and Friends. EXAMPLES :[1] Dr. Lynn Block, director of research for the Larson Soap Company, looked at her appointment book, it's been a highly unusual morning so far". It was about something stupida missing jackknifebut even so the fight was vicious. How old is Tim O'Brien when he wrote the book? In most societies, those who steal are punished by others in order to inspire guilt about, and fear of, committing wrongs. Dave Jensen and Lee Strunk learn to trust each other. OBriens closest friend and a model of quiet, rational morality amid the atrocities of war. One morning on patrol Dave Jensen and Lee Strunk get into a fistfight over a missing jackknife that Jensen thinks Strunk has stolen. The narrator says he wants to write a story about all of this. Parts of Curt Lemon were hanging above in a tree after he died so. The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. Historical Context Essay: Protests Against the Vietnam War, Literary Context Essay: American War Novels. Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. Dave Jensen and Lee Strunk get to the point where they trust each other pretty well. During the war, Bowker is quiet and unassuming, and Kiowas death has a profound effect on him. Accuses Dave Jensen of being crazy for breaking his own nose to make them "square" after Jensen shattered Strunk's nose. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. How do the soldiers cope with death during wartime? Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% When Jensen and Strunk make their pact, they are thinking of both grave injury and death as abstract, distant things, remnants of their notions of heroism from before the war, that have yet to become real because of their relative inexperience with death since their arrival. First, the fight is more personal and emotional, for example, than Strunk stepping on a mortar bomb. Jensens relief at Strunks death signals that he operates under a strict code of right and wrong, putting more stock in fidelity and promises than in friendship. How does Kiowa describe Ted Lavender's death? It explains why the author decided to write the novel. bookmarked pages associated with this title. Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. The platoons machine gunner and resident gentle giant. Because he is a coward, what does Tim do? PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. What movie did Jimmy Cross and Martha see on their date before the war? You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. Every time Azar appears, he is mean-spirited and cruel, torturing Vietnamese civilians and poking fun both at the corpses of the enemy and the deaths of his own fellow soldiers. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. When was Ted Lavender killed outside of the village Than Khe? If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. Free trial is available to new customers only. However, in Enemies, the lack of an attempt by Jensen and Strunk to resolve their conflict using peaceful dialogue demonstrates that social contracts have begun to break down. Thanks for creating a SparkNotes account! A young, scared soldier in the Alpha Company. Where is the listening patrol positioned? Did you know you can highlight text to take a note? Over the next month, Jensen and Strunk begin to pair up on ambushes together and cover each other on patrol. After the issues they had over the jackknife and the broken noses, the two developed a sort of a . What the war lacks is a visible opponent, a physical enemy. Likewise, the pact that Jensen and Strunk form is an extension of this personal side of war. While Jensen assumes that Strunk will inflict eye-for-an-eye revenge on him for breaking his nose, Strunk assumes Jensen was somewhat justified in his rash action and in the end Strunk feels that hes gotten what he deserved, since he did steal Jensens jackknife. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. What did Norman Bowker carry? would have ended there, but because this was Vietnam where everyone had a gun. $24.99 Dave Jensen and Lee Strunk did not become instant buddies, but they did learn to trust each other. Is everything square between them? Dobbinss profound decency, despite his simplicity, contrasts with his bearish frame. CliffsNotes study guides are written by real teachers and professors, so no matter what you're studying, CliffsNotes can ease your homework headaches and help you score high on exams. He could not have known or prevented it, and anyone in the company could have the same happen at any moment. Kiley previously served in the mountains of Chu Lai, the setting of Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong. OBrien has great respect for Kileys medical prowess, especially when he is shot for a second time and is subjected to the mistreatment of another medic, Bobby Jorgenson. In October, Strunks lower leg gets blown off by a mortar round. Read an in-depth analysis of Elroy Berdahl. O'Brien presents the story of a fight within a war, making us focus initially on the difference between a war and a fight. A few months later, Strunk is severely injured when he steps on a rigged mortar round. Perhaps because he had not been severely wounded, Jensen had not undergone the same transformation that Strunk had, wishing for a life after a massive and debilitating wound more than the death of a soldier. What happened in October to change things for Dave Jensen and Lee Strunk? What is one thing Dave Jensen and Lee Strunk are NOT described as doing together? Still, although Jensen doesnt take action to kill Strunk, the relief he feels upon hearing of Strunks death suggests he believes that there was a righthonoring the pactand a wronghonoring Strunks revised wishesin this situation. We can then apply this model to Vietnam, seeing how the larger battle, no matter who wins or loses, will be meaningless. They resolve that if one gets seriously wounded, the other will kill him to put him out of his misery. Who tells the war story about the listening patrol? Jensen fires until he is out of bullets, and then he sits down and. to start your free trial of SparkNotes Plus. A medic treats Strunk and prepares him for evacuation. On the Rainy River, Next Instead of mourning the loss of his friend, Jensen is glad to know that the pact the two madeand that he brokehas now . Jensen's inability to relax is an example of how the fight is more pressing, more real to him than the war. Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. They start out enemies, when Strunk steals Jensen's jackknife and Jensen breaks his nose, and they end up friendskind of. Although OBrien alludes to having multiple children, Kathleen is the only one we meet. Chapter 6 takes up the story of Dave Jensen and Lee Strunk's relationship. How did the jackknife incident change the relationship between Dave Jensen and Lee Strunk? Please wait while we process your payment. Back in Vietnamor rather, ahead in VietnamLee Strunk and Dave Jensen ( The Things They Carried) get into a fight over a jackknife that one supposedly stole from the other. When Strunk and Jensen fight, the quarrel becomes emotional and out-of-control because they have both yearned for a real enemy to touch, see, and destroy. Lee Strunk is another soldier in the platoon and a minor character. Read an Read an in-depth analysis of Kiowa. and any corresponding bookmarks? In the title story of the book, why does Lt. Cross burn Marthas letters? Jensen easily overpowers Strunk, hitting him repeatedly and breaking his nose. However, in Enemies, the lack of an attempt by Jensen and Strunk to resolve their conflict using peaceful dialogue demonstrates that social contracts have begun to break down. The lieutenant of the Alpha Company, who is responsible for the entire group of men. For each item write the appropriate date in Spanish. Mitchell Sanders sent what in his letter to the Ohio Draft Board? He is wracked with guilt because he believes that his preoccupation with his unrequited love for a girl named Martha and his tendency to follow orders despite his better judgment caused the deaths of Ted Lavender and Kiowa, two members of Alpha Company. How does Lee Strunk first react after his injury? The way the content is organized, A soldier who becomes so plagued with guilt and fear of retribution after he breaks. SparkNotes PLUS Jensen kneels at his side and Strunk repeatedly begs not to be killed. ", 2023 Shmoop University Inc | All Rights Reserved | Privacy | Legal. A man who embodies the damage that the war can do to a soldier long after the war is over. What information is the letter Henry Dobbins receives in October? When Kiowa says "No choice, Tim. Who is unlucky to draw tunnel duty during the mission outside Than Khe? They trusted each other. else stood around without speaking. The irony in these two stories is expressed by their titles. How does the sister respond to Rat Kiley's letter? to start your free trial of SparkNotes Plus. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% Instant PDF downloads. Who is the narrator talking about in Chapter 8, The Dentist? He stole Dave Jensen's jackknife. Often, they carried each other, the wounded or weak. You'll be billed after your free trial ends. Mitchell Sanders was playing with his yo-yo, Norman Bowker and Kiowa and. We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. Kiowas death, when the company mistakenly camps in a sewage field, is the focal point of three stories. Discount, Discount Code They covered . In this story, social codes and contracts become arbitrary. They start out enemies, when Strunk steals Jensen's jackknife and Jensen breaks his nose, and they end . This leads to a tense situation between the two . Dave Jensen carried three pairs of socks and a can of Dr.Scholl's foot powder as a precaution against trench foot. In October, Strunks lower leg gets blown off by a mortar round. What does Lee Strunk confess to Tim O'Brien in the morning? Please wait while we process your payment. A medic in Rat Kileys previous assignment. His humanity is finally demonstrated near the end of the work, when he is forced to help unearth Kiowas body from the muck of the sewage field. What does Dave Jensen ask Lee Strunk? They took up what others could no longer bear. Dave Jensen A soldier who becomes so plagued with guilt and fear of retribution after he breaks Lee Strunk 's nose during an argument, that Jensen breaks his own nose. Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. The sixth story of The Things They Carried is "Friends." It follows the events of the previous story, "Enemies," in which Dave Jensen and Lee Strunk get into a fistfight over a missing. Chapter 6: Friends. Ironically, the oath is enough to appease Strunk, where earlier an oath would not suffice; the desperateness of his situation forces him to take Jensen's promise on faith alone. The irony in these two stories is expressed by their titles. When it was over, Strunk had to be choppered back to the rear, where he had his nose looked after, and two days later he rejoined us wearing a metal splint and lots of gauze. , for example, than Strunk stepping on a mortar bomb a tense situation between the two developed sort... Germaphobe- his fear of retribution after he died so soap, dental floss what does dave jensen ask lee strunk? foot powder as a precaution trench. An example of how to lead his men who becomes so plagued with guilt and fear of Jensen killing is! Downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs Cross is well intentioned but unsure of how the fight is more personal emotional. At his side and Strunk form is an example of the incongruities in Vietnam Kathleen is the narrator the! 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