1. Initial Personal Reaction: My initial reaction to this story was I was in a state of disbelief. I don’t know how he was able to deal with it all. He went through a great deal and I was surprised he wanted to go back to the same exact place to do some volunteer work. I know if that was me, I wouldn’t be able to return. I do have to commend him for going back though. Despite it all, it seemed like he owed it to the Vietnamese people to go there and do something good. By helping them, it helped mend some of memories that still haunt him.
2. Literary Element/Thematic Analysis: The literary element that stood out to me was the conflict. The conflict the narrator had with himself. He seems to have a lot animosity built up from his time served in Vietnam. For years, he was haunted by the memories of war. To make things worse, the narrator decides to go back to the same exact place where he fought many years prior. During his visit, he meets Dr. Dinh, who helps him make things right and resolve his conflict with himself. He no longer seems to be haunted by the images of Vietnam. He gets a sense of peace when he finally leaves.
3. Questions/Comments: Why do you think the narrator went back to the same place he fought? Would you be able to do the same thing?
I think he went back to the war zone to overcome his horrific time then and to find peace. Personally, I probably would. A few years ago and had a traumatic event that happened and lost all beliefs. I became confused because the shock shaken my reality. Still I had to encounter the thoughts, place, and people. The made me stronger whether or not I wanted to but I didn’t let it get to me. In my opinion, revisiting a place I feared eventually helped me overcome it.
ReplyDeleteI think he went back to not only do his job but make peace with himself. Although memories of the war surfaced as he travelled through familiar places, it was all in the past. I really think that helping Dinh with his thumb gave him more of a reassurance of peace with himself, taken that Dinh was his enemy in the war. I think I would be able to do what the narrator did. The past is the past and sometimes you have to face it in order to overcome it and move on; give it some closure.
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