72.0k views
3 votes
Put this summary in your own words

O'Brien remembers that when Curt Lemon died he found it difficult to mourn, as he did not know him well. He remembers Lemon's tendency to play the clichéd role of the macho soldier, deliberately taking unnecessary risks and bragging and embellishing them with untruths. O'Brien offers this story as a means for guarding against sentimentality over the dead: The unit of soldiers had been in an area that was relatively quiet, with no direct combat with the enemy and no casualties.

1 Answer

5 votes

Final answer:

The texts provide powerful insights into the emotional complexities involved in the personal impact of war, revealing a range of responses from courage to disillusionment.

Step-by-step explanation:

Through a series of vivid recollections and poignant reflections, we grasp the complex emotions surrounding a soldier's death. Soldiers carry not just their physical burdens, but also the psychological weight of their experiences and the memories of their fallen comrades. Amidst painful nostalgia, detachment, and unabated patriotism, figures such as a youth with his homemade sword and a Civil War colonel who can't accept defeat, highlight the varied responses to war—from valor to delusion. O’Brien’s account is particularly striking as he juxtaposes the difficulty in mourning someone he barely knew against the backdrop of war where death becomes a numbing constant. These narratives invite us to contemplate the personal impact of war on individuals and their families, the futility of conflict, and the enduring nature of human resilience.

User Zweiterlinde
by
7.7k points