“Speaking of Courage”
- Explain the difference between common and uncommon valor. How does Norman justify his lack of medals for uncommon valor?
- With whom does Norman imagine discussing his experiences in Vietnam? Why does he want to tell these people about his experiences?
- Why is Max’s “becoming a pure idea” (139) an example of irony? (Hint: see page 133.)
- What is “sometimes the bravest things in the world” (141), according to Norman? How does this definition of bravery differ from uncommon valor?
- Why was the Vietnam War “not a war for war stories” (143)?
- Why do you think O’Brien chose to frame Norman’s story with a small-town Fourth of July celebration?
fickle, adj. (132)
bivoack, n. (138)
“Notes”
- Explain Tim’s assertion that telling stories is “partly catharsis, partly communication” (151). How has story-telling helped Tim move on after the war? How did an inability to tell stories affect Norman?
- Besides the fact that it is told two decades after the Vietnam War, what makes “Speaking of Courage” a “postwar story” (153)?
- How and why did O’Brien revise “Speaking of Courage”?
catharsis, n. 151
“In the Field”
- Why does Lt. Cross insist on finding Kiowa’s body?
- How does Lt. Cross view his men? How is this different from the way he was trained to view them?
- Whom does Lt. Cross blame for Kiowa’s death? Why? Whom does Sanders blame? Why? Whom does Bowker blame? Why? Whom does the young man who was with Kiowa the night he died blame? Why?
- Why did Lt. Cross sign up for officer training? How does he feel about his decision now?
- What do you think is the point or main idea of this story? Is this point present in other stories as well? Which ones?
“Good Form”
- Explain how stories can “make things present” (172). How does the story on page 172 “make present” the truth of the story on page 171? Choose another story from the book and explain how it makes a truth present.
“Field Trip”
- Why does Tim go back to the shit field? Why is his visit disappointing?
- On page 179, what does the old man do when he sees Tim in the water? Why do you think he does this?
relics, n. (177)
“The Ghost Soldiers”
- What makes Rat Kiley an effective medic? What makes Bobby Jorgenson an ineffective medic?
- Why does Tim hate Bobby Jorgenson?
- Why does Tim miss the war after he has been transferred to Headquarters Company?
- What is the moral of Morty’s story (page 187), according to Azar?
- Why are the men so invested in luck and superstition?
- Why does Sanders think Tim should forgive Jorgenson?
- What was Tim like before the war? How has the war changed him?
- Explain the phrase “no skeptics in foxholes” on page 193.
- Why does Tim ask Azar to help him “spook” Jorgenson? How does Tim feel about getting Azar’s help?
- List three reasons for Tim’s desire to spook Jorgenson. Consider both stated and implied reasons.
- What is the purpose of Tim’s discussion of Mary Hopkin on pages 199-200? How does this section contribute to a larger point in the story?
- This is the first story in the book that features Azar as a major character. Why do you think this is? Consider Azar’s potential symbolic significance.
gyroscope, n. (195)
coherence, n. (199)
lucid, adj. (203)
