In "Speaking of Courage," the narrator says, "Sometimes the bravest thing on earth was to sit through the night and feel the cold in your bones. Courage was not always a matter of yes or no." How does the narrator define courage? How do you define it?
Analyze the effects of the war on Norman Bowker.
Examine his thoughts after he returns from the war: what might have been, what he wishes for, and what he finds.
Discuss the medals that Normal received, and analyze why he keeps referring to the medal he did not receive.
Why does Bowker write to O'Brien? What is the effect of this letter on O'Brien?
What happens to Bowker? Why?
In "Speaking of Courage", the action of Norman Bowker shows how the war affect the life of a soldier after the war. Norman Bowker keep driving around the neighborhood, looking at the life of the normal people like they are in another world. The war experience makes him live in a different world than the people in United States, he has thoughts and stories that they don't understand, he has dreams that he couldn't pursue, he has skills that they don't need. While driving around and around the town he imagine sharing his thoughts and stories with his father(his father is too into sports on TV, to listen to his story). The girl he loved had married and have kids. The time telling skills have not use when there are clocks everywhere. He takes on several jobs after the war, but none last longer than a month. He comes back to his home land and find himself an outcast.
ReplyDeleteNorman Bowker received a lot of medals, Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Air Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart, but he keep talking about the medal he didn't receive, the Silver Star. The lose of Silver Star symbolize the death of Kiowa. In the incident of Kiowa's death, Bowker had garbed the boot of Kiowa, but he let go at the end even though the bubbling on where Kiowa's head is supposed to be has not stopped. It is the guilt and the psychological effect to see the life of a friend dies away and not being able to help.
The narrator in “Speaking of Courage” shows that having courage is elusive. Courage will only come at certain times, and sometimes it just goes away. In Norman Bowker’s case, his courage to save Kiowa was stopped by the scent of the much. This shows how courage can be easily taken away, even by small things. I see courage as being able to own up to your past and present mistakes. This was something that Bowker struggled to do when he went back home. He went back home to find nothing. All of his friends had moved away and his girlfriend Sally had gotten married. He often thought about life before, after, and during the war. To pass the time, he would drive around the lake that was by his house for hours. Bowker had a very hard time adjusting to normal life, and he was very lonely. In Vietnam, Bowker had received many medals which include, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Air Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal, The Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart. However, he kept talking about the medal he didn’t receive, the Silver Star. Not receiving this medal symbolizes Kiowa’s death. This created a great burden for Bowker. He always thought about how close he was to saving Kiowa and how he failed. Bowker writes to O’Brien to try to move on from his past. His letter hit O’Brien hard. The way the letter was written haunted O’Brien, so he wrote “Speaking of Courage.” Three years after O’Brien wrote “Speaking of Courage,” Norman hanged himself. He struggled to find meaning in his life, so he felt that he had no other choice.
ReplyDeleteThe narrator defines courage as not always being certain. One minute it't there, the next it's gone, and with no explanation. I would define it in a very similar way. Many people think that they are very courageous, but then when they are put to the test, they fail, and for no reason in their eyes. The war affected Bowker tremendously. When he got home, he couldn't find a reason to live because he felt as if he served his purpose and was now just going through the motions. However, Bowker did receive many medals from the war, including the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Air Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal, The Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart. Even after receiving those medals, Bowker feels tremendous guilt for not receiving the Silver Star. The Silver Star represents Kiowa and how Bowker was unable to save him. Bowker writes to O'Brien, hoping that it will help him move past the unbearable emotions he feels for Kiowa. His letter really hits O'Brien hard. It inspired O'Brien to write "Speaking of Courage." Three years after "Speaking of Courage" was written, Norman Bowker hanged himself, because he still felt that there was no purpose for his life after the war.
ReplyDeleteThe narrator of the story defines courage as withstanding a very difficult situation, not deliberately taking action to make a certain situation better. I define courage in a slightly different manner. Courage is taking a morally correct action to benefit someone else, even if it puts yourself at risk. It is selfless and caring, not glorious and awesome. Courage does not always make you feel great, making it impossible to base courage on how others react to it. After the war, where courage is everywhere, Norman feels as if he can do no good for society. He tries to hold down multiple jobs and even go to college, but he feels as if they are useless compared to the importance of war. As he drives around the lake and thinks about life and the war, he thinks of how he could have married one of his high school girlfriends. He wishes that he could at least talk about the war to people, but finds a mellow town with no interest in political affairs. He received seven medals, including the Combat Infantryman’s badge, which Bowker describes as “meaning he had been there as a real soldier and done all the things soldiers do.” However, he keeps referring to the Silver Star medal, which you win for valor. He keeps referring to this because he feels guilty for not trying to save Kiowa as he slid under the mud because the smell was too strong. He later writes to O’Brien because he feels like he got killed in Vietnam, like there is no place for him to go. He does not want the glory that other soldiers want, and feels bad complaining. This letter hits O’Brien hard, haunting him for over a month. O’Brien then writes the story without including KIowa’s death, but eight months later Norman commits suicide. He does not feels as though he can meld back into society, so he sadly and quietly takes his own life at the YMCA.
ReplyDeleteIn "Speaking of Courage", the narrator explains the story of Norman Bowker. Throughout the story, the narrator keeps referring to the medals he received, and the medal he did not receive during the Vietnam War. Norman, a soldier, received seven medals. He received the Purple heart, though his wound was minor and did not leave a scar. All his decorations, or medals, that he received were for common valor, or things that very soldier did. Yet, he was proud of them because it meant that he was a real soldier and had done all the things that soldiers did. The one medal the he did not win, the Silver Star, is a story and burden he carried with him after the war. One night in Vietnam, Norman had the chance to win the silver star. He could of saved a fellow soldier's life, Kiowa, but it did not go right. To outside people Kiowa lost his life because Norman was a coward, yet Norman told himself that it was the circumstances. The death of his friend was a heavy weight he had to carry, and he never learned how to let it go. He would tell the story, reassuring to himself that it was not his fault. He still had seven medals that made him a real soldier. Yet, the Silver Star would of made Norman more than just a common soldier, he would of been a life-saver. To Norman, his life died along with Kiowa's.
ReplyDeleteIn "Speaking Of Courage", we see how what happened in the war effected someone. The chapter follows Norman Bowker as he drives around the lake thinking about the war the medals he won and the one medal he did not win. He talks about how if his father was not such a baseball fan, they would be driving together and he would be able to tell him about the time that he almost won the silver star. He remembers the night when Kiowa died and how he could have saved him from the mucky field but did not because of the stink, he also thinks about the other medals that he received like the purple heart and how they made him a real soldier. After not being able to tell anyone about what happened in the muddy field, he writes a letter to O'Brian hoping that through his writing skills that he could tell the story of what happened, when O'Brian adds it to one of the books he leaves out the major parts of it and later find out that Norman had committed suicide. O'Brian decided to tell the true story of Norman Bowker in "Speaking Of Courage" to finally tell the story of what happened in that field.
ReplyDeleteThe narrator defines courage as a spontaneous act. He believes courage is brought to a person through situations and not through bravery. They way I define courage matches the narrators definition of courage. I think that courage is based on instinct and decisions made in split seconds that happen to work out for the best. The war changed Norman Bowker's life forever. After he came home he was never able to return to a normal life because he felt that it was pointless compared to the life he lived fighting for his country. He fantasizes about his relationship with his girlfriend from high school and wishes that he could share war stories with her but he never feels comfortable. During the war Norman receives seven different medals; however, he keeps talking about the silver star medal that he did not win. The reason Norman cannot stop talking about the silver star medal is because he feels guilty about not saving Kiowa. If he would have saved Kiowa then he would have the silver star medal. Bowker wrote this letter to O'Brien because he wanted him to right a book about what he was going through so that it would hopefully help other veterans who had a hard time returning to a normal life after their service. The letter took a tole on O'Brien because he felt guilty for how easy he felt the transition back into life as a civilian was.Three years after O'Brien wrote this letter he was still felt out of place in the world and hung himself in the YMCA locker room.
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ReplyDeleteThe narrator defines courage as an act of bravery during a difficult situation that was instinct for that person to do. I do not believe him on that because he is saying that if somebody makes a mistake in a difficult situation that they are not courageous then, but I believe they still could be if they were courageous in other situations they should always be considered courageous. I believe Norman Bowker was courageous but just faltered in one situation and he regretted it for the rest of his life and thought he was a coward. The war changed his life when Norman's Lieutenant, Jimmy Cross, had them camp out next to a river bank that was like quicksand. They started taking fire from the enemy and had to hide in the muck up to their heads. A mortar round then hit near Norman Bowker's friend Kiowa and Kiowa started to sink into the ground. Norman did not hear anything until he heard a bubbling sound that was Kiowa trying to breath in the mud and could not. Norman got up and tried to save Kiowa by pulling on his boot but could not stand the smell and gave up. He regretted that for the rest of his life and blamed that happening on him not saving Kiowa. He always thought about the seven medals he won and think that he almost won the Silver Star but did not because he let Kiowa go. Norman was wishing that when he got home he would have people to talk to and have his old girlfriend back, but he came home to her married to someone else and he had no one to talk to. Norman then wrote a letter to O'Brien saying that he should write a story about those events without using Norman's name and maybe that will help him. It haunted O'Brien for months because of the desperation Norman had in the letter, he wanted to move on but could not. O'Brien finally decided to go on with it and originally made it a chapter in a book he was writing but then later published it as a short story called "Speaking of Courage." Norman like the story except that O'Brien left Kiowa out and the field in the Song Tra Bong. Eight months later Norman Bowker hanged himself in a YMCA locker room.
ReplyDeleteNorman Bowker, a character inside of Tim O'Brien's popular novel, The Things They Carried was one of the men in Lieutenant Jimmy Cross’s platoon and possibly the most affected character after returning home from the war. When Bowker returns home after the war is over, he drives around in his father’s Chevy, reminiscing and observing his small unchanging hometown. Although the war is over, and there is a slight feeling of peace and calmness as he loops around the lake and watches the quiet life around him, Bowker can’t help but feel out of place in his old home. He remembers his old friend Max who drowned in the lake, and Sally, the girl whose picture he kept in his wallet, although she was now married. Norman spoke to his father of the seven medals he received, how they were common and insignificant compared to the silver star he had almost won. He explains what happened to Kiowa in the field, and if he had been able to save him, he could have won the silver star. Norman carries a sort of survivor's guilt having gone through the traumatic experiences of the war as well as the loss of Kiowa. His constant guilt, as well as his questions of self-purpose after the war, all add up to Normans surprisingly tragic suicide, especially after the letter he sent to O'Brien, stating that he should be grateful for having no nightmares or lasting injuries.
ReplyDeleteIn the chapter “Speaking of Courage”, the narrator defines courage as a sudden and spontaneous act of selflessness and bravery. I agree with his definition of courage. Having courage means being able to forget about your own fear and help those around you in a dangerous situation. The narrator also shows that someone cannot always be courageous. O’Brien demonstrates the struggle of not being able to have courage through Norman Bowker. Norman Bowker won a number of medals for his service, but he dwells upon the Silver Star, the medal he almost won. The Silver Star is awarded to those who show outstanding acts of courage and valor. Norman Bowker almost saved his friend Kiowa, who served alongside him during the war, from sinking to his death in a pit of stinking mud. However, the smell of the muck and the panic from being attacked by surprise was too much for Norman, and he was unable to pull Kiowa out of the mud. Even after he returns to America, he cannot forget how he almost saved Kiowa’s life. He cannot forget how he almost won the Silver Star for saving his friend and he feels guilty for leaving Kiowa to sink into the mud. Unable to get over his lack of courage, he takes his own life to escape the guilt. Norman Bowker’s story shows that courage is a difficult and everlasting struggle and that not everyone can be courageous all the time.
ReplyDeleteIn "Speaking of Courage," the narrator explains that courage is an elusive feeling and an act of bravery. I agree with this because courage is something that comes up inside of you in a spontaneous moment and causes you to act in selflessness. When Bowker came home from the war, it continued to effect him and his daily life. Bowker felt his purpose in life was done. He felt like he was just floating through the rest of his life because he had no real purpose left. Even though Bowker received many medals from the war, he was upset he never got the Silver Star. He continuously talks about this meal he did not win because he is ashamed he did not show enough courage. He regrets not helping Kiowa and not showing courage. His guilt for not helping and his regret for not acting courageously. Bowker was deeply impacted by his guilt and regret, which eventually led him to committing suicide. O'Brien decides it is time to tell Bowker's full story after finding out about his death.
ReplyDeleteO’Brien states courage as it is definite or that it is positive. Courage can come of the second guess and won't always be the first option on one's mind. I find that courage is personal to who lives it. To one person going out in the night is courage and to another person it is just a night. When Norman came back home from the war his life was upside down, all his friends and loved ones had moved on in life. The only thing that he has to him are the medals that he has earned throughout the war which were the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Air Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal, The Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart. Norman never received the silver star medal and because of this he remained devastated. The medal was a symbol of kiowa passing and how norman couldive of saved him.He always let himself down thinking that he could have done better. Norman writes to bower about his emotions towards the insindent. O'brien is confused and heartbroken by this message and the feelings from his friend. This influenced him to write speaking of courage.Norman still not recovering from his grief,guilt, and loneliness committed sucicide at the ymca because he was lost in himself.
ReplyDeleteThe narrator describes courage as not being a matter of yes or no but it came in degrees. What he means by this is sometimes you can make the bravest choice ever when it comes to something big and sometimes you find yourself not being able to be brave about little things. I define courage as being able to take that extra step when you know you are afraid but still being able to finish the task.I think the war and especially going home from the war had a large effect on Norman. When he gets home its like he doesn't know what to do with himself. He has nobody to talk to and nobody to keep him company. His dad is not with him and he doesn't have a wife so all he does is drive and imagine what he would say. He talks about how Sally could have listened to him if he would have just stopped and talked to her. He wishes that someone would just ask him something about war so he could talk about it. Bowker finds that he really doesn't have a purpose anymore there is nothing left for him to do. He came back to everything looking the exact same but his world had completely changed. Norman received several medals that he really should be proud of but all he can do is focus on the one he didn't win. He blames it all on the night when he tried saving Kiowa but he felt himself going from the smell. He can't handle the fact that he would have gotten the medal if he had just had more courage when the Kiowa situation occurs. Bowker writes to O'Brien for multiple reasons he praises him on how well the first book was written. He also suggests that O'Brien should visit him so they can tell old stories together and then he gets very serious and tells him that if he were to die O'Brien should write a story about him and how he ended up. This letter hit O'Brien hard he felt a sense of guilt because he transitioned so well from the war and back into regular life and Bowker just couldn't do it. Bowker ends up not being able to stand life anymore and commits suicide. He does this because he feels as if he is already dead and in the mud.
ReplyDeleteThe narrator thinks of courage as something that comes in degrees when it's needed. You might be able to muster up the courage to do something difficult in a tense situation, but smaller everyday things are far too difficult for you or vice versa. I think of courage as acting in spite of fear, as moving on despite setbacks. A courageous act is different for everyone. For some people, courage might be standing up for yourself against someone who's treating you poorly or trying something new that scares you. For others, it might just be getting out of bed in the morning or asking the waiter for another set of silverware. It's all relative.
ReplyDeleteNorman Bowker was changed drastically by the war. When he came back, he couldn't hold down any jobs and he had lots of trouble relating to people who didn't share that experience with him. He mentions that it was near impossible for him to make a life for himself beyond the war. He considers the seven medals he earned some default achievements given to soldiers of not-so-outstanding courage. He seems stuck on the one medal he could have earned because of the crippling guilt he feels in losing his courage and failing to rescue his close friend Kiowa from being lost in the mud. He can't escape this guilt, this feeling of failure, as if he too died in that muddy field of refuse. When Bowker writes to O'Brien, he asks the author to write a story about feeling unable to cope with his failure and his inability to relate to other people anymore. He's searching desperately for someone who sees him and understand how he's lost. When O'Brien writes "Speaking of Courage" originally, it fails to mention any of the struggles of the war and Bowker doesn't think it fully captures the story, doesn't represent his struggle and his experience well enough. Finally, feeling too lost to go on, Bowker takes his own life.
The narrator defines courage as an ideal that isn't black and white. It mostly depends on the person to decide for themselves if the their acts could be considered courageous or brave. I would have to agree with this definition. Courage doesn't necessarily have to be exhibited through some daunting and dangerous task. It can vary from fighting in battle to asking a stranger for directions, the point is that you manage to overcome the conflict at hand. After the war, Norman Bowker seems lost in the world. Many would see him as a hero, being awarded with seven medals for his time in Vietnam, but he focuses more on what could have been. He almost won the silver star, and the only reason he didn't was because he failed to save his friend. The combination of the stinking field they were in and the raging battle around them was like a sensory overload. He couldn't save him, and it's a mistake that he holds against himself for years. His attempt to contact O'Brien show his hope that someone understands his guilt, and while O'Brien is moved, his retelling of the story seems to miss all of the raw emotions. Bowker's guilt only seems to take further hold of him until he ultimately takes his own life.
ReplyDeleteIn this particular story, the narrator defines courage as something that reappears from time to time when somebody needs it. I do not believe that courage is as glorious as the narrator makes it out to be because having courage means doing what is best for others without thinking about how it will benefit you. I think Bowker always reminices in his time in the war and how different his life was. ALthough he recieved many medals for his duties, the only medal he did not receive, the Silver Star, and what he should have done differently to make his father proud. He then thinks of Kiowa and how he should have saved him while driving around town trying to fit in to his old lifestyle. Bowker feels awful for not saving Kiowa, and he eventually is so overcome with guilt that he takes his own life. Bowker writes to O'Brien, expressing his emotions and his guilt about not being able to save Kiowa. This letter is what inspired O'Brien to write the passage about courage and how it can affect somebody. Bowker still did not feel better about his situation at home; everyone that he was close with before the war had moved on, and he was stuck between the old times and trying to carry on to new times. Bowker was so engulfed in his emotions and personal problems that he killed himself.
ReplyDeleteIn "Speaking of Courage", the narrator defines courage as something relative to each person and each situation. He explains how people can have courage up to a certain point, then not be brave anymore after it. Sometimes it isn't a matter of yes or no. I would agree with this thinking on what courage is, although sometimes courage isn't as big as the narrator makes it out to be, it can be something small, as well. The effects of war on Norman Bowker drove him to kill himself, as he thought there was no purpose. He attempted to re-enter society, but unfortunately, war had changed his thinking so much, he was unable to.
ReplyDeleteThe Narrator in “Speaking of Courage” describes courage as something that comes and goes in different situations. I see courage as that split second decision to do something that either works or it doesn’t. The war changed Norman Bowker for the worse and to find that all of his friends have moved on really hurt him. All of his skills that were learned back in Vietnam were not useful back home. He felt like he had no purpose left in life. He won multiple medals including the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Air Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal, The Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart. During his time at home, he always thought of the silver star he could’ve gotten. If only he was stronger. If only he was braver. If only he had the courage to save his friend and pull him out of the mud. He regretted that moment and felt that he never showed enough courage. Norman Bowker wrote a letter to O'Brien describing his emotions and what his life was like after the war. Later O'Brien wrote a story about his life, but then sadly eight months later Norman committed suicide. He felt he had no more purpose in society and couldn’t seem to fit in anymore so he took his life at the YMCA.
ReplyDeleteCourage, as defined in the novel, is a mental toughness to withstand danger, fear, difficulties, etc. I would define courage as doing something out of your comfort zone. Bowker was highly affected by the war as he felt that there was no purpose to his life when he had gotten home. Although he had received 7 awards, he was not satisfied because he didn’t save Kiowa’s life. This took a huge toll on his mental health and eventually led to him taking his own life. Bowker couldn’t accept the fact that he let one of his friends die because of his own actions. Bowker writes to O’Brien for closure of the fact that he feels like as Kiowa died, he died as well. O’Brien’s reaction to this letter is to write the story excluding Kiowa’s death.
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