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The Things They Carried


The classic, ground-breaking meditation on war and the redemptive power of ...
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Does there seem to be a clear sense of what is right and what is wrong throughout the book?

Created: 03/04/20

Replies: 8

Posted Mar. 04, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
davinamw

Join Date: 10/15/10

Posts: 3442

Does there seem to be a clear sense of what is right and what is wrong throughout the book?

Does there seem to be a clear sense of what is right and what is wrong throughout the book? Do you think the book suggests whether the author believes there is a fixed and universal set of moral rules or are bad deeds sometimes justifiable? What are your thoughts on the subject?


Posted Mar. 08, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
Lois Irene

Join Date: 01/20/16

Posts: 76

RE: Does there seem to be a clear sense of what is right and what is wrong throughout the book?

Something that made the Vietnam was so upsetting for our solidiers was the what was right and what was wrong were blurred constantly. For example Yes, you did the right thing to shoot all the villagers, in that it was your superior officers command. But, no, that did not feel like the right thing to do... to shoot old men and women, children and babies.
These were the nightmares that Vietnam vets came home with.


Posted Mar. 10, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
normar

Join Date: 05/15/11

Posts: 48

RE: Does there seem to be a clear sense of what is right and what is wrong throughout the book?

I don’t think there was a clear sense of right and wrong during the Vietnam war


Posted Mar. 11, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
dorinned

Join Date: 10/13/14

Posts: 176

RE: Does there seem to be a clear sense of what is right and what is wrong throughout the book?

The Viet Nam war felt wrong from the beginning, and because it went on and on, the wrong was compounded. I had the sense that the characters clearly knew the difference between right and wrong, but that they were forced into circumstances where they were ordered to kill anyone who was in the way, as well as circumstances where the perception was either kill or be killed.


Posted Mar. 11, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
Kate B

Join Date: 03/11/20

Posts: 11

RE: Does there seem to be a clear sense of what is right and what is wrong throughout the book?

I agree with to dorinned.


Posted Mar. 11, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
BuffaloGirl

Join Date: 01/13/18

Posts: 208

RE: Does there seem to be a clear sense of what is right and what is wrong throughout the book?

The author illustrates the grayness of ethics and morality in war. We teach young people how to kill, but then require that they do it morally. The author demonstrated that some can retain their morality while others descend to brutality. For me, the story which includes the baby water buffalo was heartbreaking and sickening. Even though I could explain it with the above, I couldn’t forgive it.


Posted Mar. 19, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
nancyh

Join Date: 06/25/13

Posts: 347

RE: Does there seem to be a clear sense of what is right and what is wrong throughout the book?

I believe they went there because they were told to and at that time we still trusted the government to know what was right, As the war went on, the young men probably started to question this, as we did back home. It could not have been easy for most of the men to fight a war they no longer believed in and there had to be guilt for many. Many of them came back damaged men,


Posted Mar. 22, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
joang

Join Date: 05/17/12

Posts: 94

RE: Does there seem to be a clear sense of what is right and what is wrong throughout the book?

As young men I believe they went to Viet Nam with a sense of right and wrong. As the experience of war progresses that line is blunted and wrong becomes right as that is what war is. That's the disconnect and I think contributes to much of the issues our returning veterans come home with.


Posted Apr. 25, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
beckys

Join Date: 08/12/16

Posts: 233

RE: Does there seem to be a clear sense of what is right and what is wrong throughout the book?

No there wasn't..that was one of the big problems of the Vietnam War is that the idea you were raised with of what is right, wasnt what you were told to do when you were at war. Such a conflict of ideas and total discourse with the inherent urge to do what is right.


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