Reading #8 Question #3
1 view
Skip to first unread message
Jason Guy
Feb 17, 2011, 11:00:21 PM2/17/11
to The Things They Carried discussion, spring 2011 (green)
Are there any other motives for why O’Brien so badly wants to get
revenge on Jorgenson, besides the obvious reason of Jorgenson almost
killing O’Brien by not treating him quick enough?
revenge on Jorgenson, besides the obvious reason of Jorgenson almost
killing O’Brien by not treating him quick enough?
Raymond
Feb 19, 2011, 7:04:51 PM2/19/11
to The Things They Carried discussion, spring 2011 (green)
That's an interesting question Jason. I think besides just wanting
revenge, O'Brien wants to take revenge to get a taste of the war and
action that he has been missing since being shot the second time. But
more than that, I think O'Brien misses the closeness he and his
buddies from his company used to share. "Once you leave the boonies,
the whole comrade business gets turned around. You become a civilian.
You forfeit membership in the family, the blood fraternity, and no
matter how hard you try, you can't pretend to be part of it," (185).
Leaving his company distanced him from the members of Alpha Company.
He blames Bobby Jorgenson for taking that friendship away from him.
revenge, O'Brien wants to take revenge to get a taste of the war and
action that he has been missing since being shot the second time. But
more than that, I think O'Brien misses the closeness he and his
buddies from his company used to share. "Once you leave the boonies,
the whole comrade business gets turned around. You become a civilian.
You forfeit membership in the family, the blood fraternity, and no
matter how hard you try, you can't pretend to be part of it," (185).
Leaving his company distanced him from the members of Alpha Company.
He blames Bobby Jorgenson for taking that friendship away from him.
Emily Richards
Feb 19, 2011, 10:12:13 PM2/19/11
to The Things They Carried discussion, spring 2011 (green)
That's a good question, Jason, and a really good point Raymond. I
agree with you, but I think O'Brien gets revenge because he misses his
friends, and more specifically, Rat Kiley. When Rat Kiley gets sent
to Japan, O'Brien doesn't trust Jorgenson. He even says, "Jorgenson
was no Rat Kiley. He was green and incompetent and scared" (O'Brien
181). I think that from the start, he decided not to like Bobby
Jorgenson because he replaced one of his best friends. He feels as
though Jorgenson is an outsider, so when he gets the chance to take
revenge on him, he does because he is kind of doing it "in honor" of
Rat Kiley. The wound was almost just an excuse to get revenge. It
mirrors the idea of when a child gets a stepparent. They feel as
though that person is replacing their mother or father in their lives,
so most children have a hard time trusting their new mom or dad at
first. The same principle applies because O'Brien thinks Jorgenson is
replacing Kiley, and he doesn't trust him. He also doesn't like that
Jorgenson fits in with his friends and he doesn't, which is what
Raymond pointed out.
> > killing O’Brien by not treating him quick enough?- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
agree with you, but I think O'Brien gets revenge because he misses his
friends, and more specifically, Rat Kiley. When Rat Kiley gets sent
to Japan, O'Brien doesn't trust Jorgenson. He even says, "Jorgenson
was no Rat Kiley. He was green and incompetent and scared" (O'Brien
181). I think that from the start, he decided not to like Bobby
Jorgenson because he replaced one of his best friends. He feels as
though Jorgenson is an outsider, so when he gets the chance to take
revenge on him, he does because he is kind of doing it "in honor" of
Rat Kiley. The wound was almost just an excuse to get revenge. It
mirrors the idea of when a child gets a stepparent. They feel as
though that person is replacing their mother or father in their lives,
so most children have a hard time trusting their new mom or dad at
first. The same principle applies because O'Brien thinks Jorgenson is
replacing Kiley, and he doesn't trust him. He also doesn't like that
Jorgenson fits in with his friends and he doesn't, which is what
Raymond pointed out.
>
> - Show quoted text -
Moria
Feb 20, 2011, 5:48:05 PM2/20/11
to The Things They Carried discussion, spring 2011 (green)
Raymond you make a great point!
Besides O'Brien wanting revenge over Jorgenson risking his life and
causing him to have serious problems. When the Alpha Company visits
the headquarters in which O'Brien, he decides to get his revenge.
Except, as he spends time with his old friends, he realizes that not
only has Bobby Jorgenson become one of the "brothers", but O'Brien is
no longer a part of that. Upon realizing this O'Brien says, "I felt
something shift inside of me. It was anger, partly, but it was also a
sense of pure and total loss: I didn't fit anymore"(O'Brien 188). I
think the pain of realizing he was not a part of the friendship and
brotherhood added to his anger towards Jorgenson and gave him another
motive for revenge.
Besides O'Brien wanting revenge over Jorgenson risking his life and
causing him to have serious problems. When the Alpha Company visits
the headquarters in which O'Brien, he decides to get his revenge.
Except, as he spends time with his old friends, he realizes that not
only has Bobby Jorgenson become one of the "brothers", but O'Brien is
no longer a part of that. Upon realizing this O'Brien says, "I felt
something shift inside of me. It was anger, partly, but it was also a
sense of pure and total loss: I didn't fit anymore"(O'Brien 188). I
think the pain of realizing he was not a part of the friendship and
brotherhood added to his anger towards Jorgenson and gave him another
motive for revenge.
Ashton Trice
Feb 20, 2011, 7:43:21 PM2/20/11
to The Things They Carried discussion, spring 2011 (green)
Nice points Raymond, Emily, and Moria.
O’Brien missed being with his friends because they were his family.
They experienced the war with him and were there for him when he
needed them most. When Jorgenson became part of the company, O’Brien
felt jealous that Jorgenson was in the “family” while he was left out.
Sanders told O’Brien, “People change. Situations change. I hate to say
this, man, but you’re out of touch. Jorgenson- he’s with us
now” (O’Brien 188). Once O’Brien felt that he was out of the group, I
think he was consumed with so much hatred that he just wanted to take
his anger out on Jorgenson. Not only did Jorgenson almost kill
O’Brien, but he was now part of something that O’Brien enjoyed. I
think another thing that took a major toll on O’Brien was the war
overall. As he was playing tricks on Jorgenson, he mentions,
“Squinting down at Jorgenson’s position, I felt a swell of immense
power. It was a feeling the VC must have. Like a puppeteer. Yank on
the ropes, watch the silly wooden solider jump and twitch” (O’Brien
198). O’Brien felt as if he was the enemy and he had all the power in
his hands. I think his main motive for revenge wasn’t necessarily to
take revenge on Jorgenson personally, but to express his anger because
he consumed it inside of him for so long. It felt good to him to let
it out and to feel like he was in control. The VC made O’Brien scared
and vulnerable that taking his anger out on someone else felt good,
even though he regretted it in the end.
O’Brien missed being with his friends because they were his family.
They experienced the war with him and were there for him when he
needed them most. When Jorgenson became part of the company, O’Brien
felt jealous that Jorgenson was in the “family” while he was left out.
Sanders told O’Brien, “People change. Situations change. I hate to say
this, man, but you’re out of touch. Jorgenson- he’s with us
now” (O’Brien 188). Once O’Brien felt that he was out of the group, I
think he was consumed with so much hatred that he just wanted to take
his anger out on Jorgenson. Not only did Jorgenson almost kill
O’Brien, but he was now part of something that O’Brien enjoyed. I
think another thing that took a major toll on O’Brien was the war
overall. As he was playing tricks on Jorgenson, he mentions,
“Squinting down at Jorgenson’s position, I felt a swell of immense
power. It was a feeling the VC must have. Like a puppeteer. Yank on
the ropes, watch the silly wooden solider jump and twitch” (O’Brien
198). O’Brien felt as if he was the enemy and he had all the power in
his hands. I think his main motive for revenge wasn’t necessarily to
take revenge on Jorgenson personally, but to express his anger because
he consumed it inside of him for so long. It felt good to him to let
it out and to feel like he was in control. The VC made O’Brien scared
and vulnerable that taking his anger out on someone else felt good,
even though he regretted it in the end.
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages