The Things They Carried Chapters 5-10

“I hated Boy Scouts. I hated camping out “I hated Boy Scouts. I hated camping out. I was no soldier” (culture/society) This quote represents culture and society because he didn’t like to do the things normal men did. He hated everything about war and didn’t feel like he was an actual soldier.

“…I didn’t know a rifle from a slingshot.” (Culture/society) O’Brien did not know the difference between a gun and a slingshot. This shows how he did not even understand war items. Thus, the culture he is in does not make it seem fit for him to go to war.

Rectitude – noun Moral virtue

Humane – adj Characterized by tenderness, compassion, and sympathy for others

Exploit – noun A striking or notable deed; feat

Flourish – verb To be in a vigorous state; to thrive

Sadistic/Sadism – adj/noun Deriving pleasure or gratification from extreme cruelty

Tantalizing - adj A characteristic of something that provokes or arouses expectation, interest, or desire

Tentative – adj Unsure or uncertain; not definite or positive

Expedite – verb To speed something up

Disparaging – adj Showing disapproval

Fallacious – adj False, deceptive

Tarry – verb To wait idly

Chicanery – noun Trickery

Sentence Starters 1. The chicanery of a terrible magician 2. A fallacious thing to do to your parents 3. An unpleasant experience you wish you could expedite

Sentence Starters A time you’ve impatiently tarried Conditions to make the return of a flight tentative A disparaging comment from parents

Sweetheart Song of Tra Bong Type 2 Writing: 10 minutes Compare and contrast the reactions of Mary Anne and Mark Fossie to Vietnam. Use examples from the text to support your response.

Text Questions 1. What criticisms do the soldiers make about Rat Kiley’s storytelling? 2. How does Mary Anne defy or follow the assumed roles of women during wartime? 3. Compare the greenies to other soldiers serving during Vietnam. 4. Explain what you think the tongue necklace symbolizes.

Activity Draw an illustration of Mary Anne before she assimilates into the Vietnamese war culture and what she looks like after assimilation takes place Use examples from the text to defend your choices in your illustration (5)

Sentence Starters Something that challenges/ed your rectitude What would be a sadistic way to breakup with someone? Actions we can take to help our Christmas spirit flourish

Stockings – page 110 Stockings: Describe the impact the stockings have on Henry Dobbins. Why does he cling to superstition over reality and is this harmful for him? Why does O’Brien put these stories next to one another in The Things They Carried?

Church – page 113 Explain how Dobbins and Kiowa both perceive faith/religion.

The Man I Killed - 118 What is the narrator feeling in this chapter? How does O’Brien communicate this to the reader? Compare/contrast the death of Curt Lemon to the Vietnamese man? Explain the symbolism of the butterfly and flowers.

Ambush - 125 What is the relationship between “Ambush” and “The Man I Killed”? How is “Ambush” different in narrative technique than “The Man I Killed”?

Illustration Mary Anne as she arrived in Vietnam vs. how Vietnam changed her Henry Dobbins vs. Kiowa in the pagoda The Man I Killed vs. Ambush Cite 4 examples from text to explain differences/similarities in story

Vocab Sentence Starters A courageous exploit for an adventurer to go on A fallacious email that contains a tantalizing offer If we were inhumane, the world would…

Review of Reading How is Tim O’Brien similar to the description he provides of the man he killed? Read “Style” Is there a moral in this story? Why or why not? Do you think this is a true war story?

Vocab Sentences A fallacious act that stops a friendship from flourishing Chicanery that makes you tentative to trust someone on April Fools Day

How does Norman Bowker describe bravery? What does Bowker do at the end of the story? How is this a symbolic event?

Read “Notes” What do we learn about Norman Bowker in this chapter that provides more insight into his character? Compare/contrast how Bowker deals with war memories vs. O’Brien