“On the Rainy River,” “Enemies,” “Friends”

1. “On the Rainy River,” “Enemies,” “Friends”

2. Relevant Questions: Do you agree? Disagree? Why?Quick write: Respond in your journal with a few sentences for each • 1. America has an extra responsibility to look out for other countries; if we don’t, no one else will. • Consider: Why do we help other countries? Which other countries do the same? Is it better to provide aid under a larger body like the UN? • 2. Only unpatriotic citizens criticize war and their government during wartime. • Consider: What would the founding fathers say about this? Can providing criticism of one’s country be patriotic? Where is the line crossed? • 3. Americans should always support the soldiers during wartime no matter their personal opinions about the war. • 4. It is possible that America will institute the draft, or some type of active mandatory military service, in your lifetime. • 5. If a citizen is drafted, he/she has a moral obligation to go to war. • Obviously the person has a legal responsibility, but do they have a moral one as well? What if you were drafted into a war you didn’t believe was just?

3. Understanding O’Brien’s perspective: Unpacking the chapterIn your journal record your responses to these questions; bullet points are fine. Be prepared to report out. • 1. Why does O’Brien believe that the war in Vietnam seemed wrong? Find a quote. • 2. Why doesn’t O’Brien think he belongs in war? Find a quote. • 3. According to O’Brien, when is military force justified? Do you agree? Explain. • 4. How does O’Brien describe his ultimate decision to go to war? In other words, why does he go? Find a quote. •  5. O’Brien calls himself a coward on page 61. Why does he consider himself a coward? • 6. Why hasn’t O’Brien told this story before?

4. Continuing the discussion….. • 1. O’Brien says “If you support a war, if you think it is worth the price, that’s fine, but you have to put your own precious fluids on the line. You have to head for the front and hook up with the infantry unit and helps spill the blood. And you have to bring along your wife, or your kids, or your lover.” What is your response? • 2. Do you agree with O’Brien’s claim regarding when military force is justified? Explain. •  3. Do you agree with O’Brien himself that his choice following his draft order and going to Vietnam was cowardly? If he had made another decision what would he have been? • 4. What would you have done in his position? Would you have jumped out of the boat? Would you have even second-guessed your draft notice? WHY?

5. What happened to draft dodgers? • ANDREW GLASS | 1/21/08 3:56 AM EDT, Politico • “On this day in 1977, President Jimmy Carter, in his first day in office, fulfilled a campaign promise by granting unconditional pardons to hundreds of thousands of men who had evaded the draft during the Vietnam War by fleeing the country or by failing to register. • Gerald Ford, Carter’s predecessor in the White House, offered conditional amnesty to some draft dodgers. Carter, however, seeking to heal the war’s physic wounds, set no conditions, although some individuals were excluded from the blanket pardon. • Thus, military deserters were ineligible. Also excluded were convicted civilian protestors who had engaged in acts of violence. • All in all, about 100,000 Americans went abroad in the late 1960s and early 70s to avoid being called up. • Some 90 percent went to Canada where, after some initial controversy, they were accepted as legal immigrants”

6. “Frenemies” • So what sparked the conflict between Struck and Jensen? How did they make up after that? • What does this “pact” they made reveal about their fears? What does it reveal about the camaraderie between the men?

7. “Enemies” & “Friends” • “Jensen couldn’t relax. Like fighting two different wars, he said. No safe ground: enemies everywhere. No front or rear…The distinction between good guys and bad guys disappeared for him”(68). • “Late that same night he borrowed a pistol, gripped it by the barrel, and used it like a hammer to break his own nose”(68). • What do you notice about these two quotes?

8. Media Animation : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a60RvzfOJMY • What main emotions are stressed in the animated film? • Do you like the black and white? Animation • Video Montage: 5:20 • A. How does the showcased text add depth to the film? • How does the actual footage, the news reporting, and the music intertwine? • How this project be improved (made by a non-map junior)

9. Hwk Qs: “How to Tell” and “Dentist” • In your journal, please respond to the following: • 1. Explain story truth vs. happening truth. Give a definition and an example for each. • 2. O’Brien defines a “true war story” throughout “How to Tell a True War Story.” What are the qualities of a “true war story,” according to O’Brien? Are the “story truth” or “happening truth” stories more true? What really matters about the story to O’Brien? •  3. How many times are we told the story of Curt Lemon’s death? What are the differences in the way the story is told? The point? • 4. Read O’Brien’s generalizations about war on 86-88 and how it can be experienced. Can you relate to any of this? If so, to what parts of your life do these comments connect? • 5. What is your reaction to the chapter “How to Tell a True War Story”? Why? Does a story have more validity or meaning if it actually happened? • 6. What point about bravery does O’Brien make in “Dentist”? • 7. Please add to your character (and topic if honors) tracking in your journal as well.