Book Notes for Chapters 15 and 16

Continuation of the American Thought (we started discussing this yesterday):

• Why did Richie grapple with whether or not to tell Kenny about what he has done in the war?
  

• How are soldiers supposed to be perceived?
  
• What is the reality of telling Kenny about what he has done?
  • His job is to be a soldier. Good soldiers have to kill in times of war. That's the bottom line.
    
  • Citizens, who have never fought in war, can not relate to that and consequently look at those that have as strange, without really intending to.
• How does the Alpha Company and other soldiers feel about the ARVN?
  • What is their work ethic like?
    
  • How do they feel about maintenance?
    
  • According to the novel, who was more dedicated in fighting the war?
    
  • How did that make the troops feel?
• Be able to explain what the ambush site looked like. We actually drew it on the board. Think about the following:
  • Where the ARVN lined up
    
  • Where the Alpha Company lined up
    
  • Where the VC entered into the site
    
  • Where shots would be fired
    
  • Where Gearhart probably was (he had to listen carefully)
    
  • Understand why it must have been incredibly tense for them to maintain silence
• Understand why Simpson was so upset with Stewart (What was Stewart doing that increased his own rank?)
  • Why would Stewart benefit from the decision
    
  • Why it was upsetting to the men
• The rash on Richie's foot--why is that conversation ironic?
  
• Why does Lobel write the letter to his dad that he does? Why does he say that he's sorry that he entered this war?
  
• Judy Duncan