this phrase, the author shoes the heavy burden on the shoulders of these soldiers during the Vietnam War. It displays the physical and emotional weight they each had to carry. "What they carried were necessities...partly a function of rank, partly of field specialty...varied by mission" (pages 2, 5, 9). "They all carried ghosts...superstition...each other...diseases...emotional baggage of men who might die" (pages 10, 13, 14). The phrase that especially stood out to me was "They all carried ghosts" (page 10). In addition to the many heavy physical burdens they carried, they were also carrying ghosts. They carried the ghosts of those who they had fought with and lost in battle. Also, they carried the ghosts of those they had left behind at home; they left families, wives, children, and friends knowing that they may never return to see them. "For all the ambiguities of Vietnam, all the mysteries and unknowns, there was at least the single abiding certainty that they would never be at a loss for things to carry" (page 16).
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Motif
As I began reading, throughout the first chapter I noticed a single phrase that was repeated numerous times. The phrase "They carried..." is woven throughout the chapter. By repeating 
this phrase, the author shoes the heavy burden on the shoulders of these soldiers during the Vietnam War. It displays the physical and emotional weight they each had to carry. "What they carried were necessities...partly a function of rank, partly of field specialty...varied by mission" (pages 2, 5, 9). "They all carried ghosts...superstition...each other...diseases...emotional baggage of men who might die" (pages 10, 13, 14). The phrase that especially stood out to me was "They all carried ghosts" (page 10). In addition to the many heavy physical burdens they carried, they were also carrying ghosts. They carried the ghosts of those who they had fought with and lost in battle. Also, they carried the ghosts of those they had left behind at home; they left families, wives, children, and friends knowing that they may never return to see them. "For all the ambiguities of Vietnam, all the mysteries and unknowns, there was at least the single abiding certainty that they would never be at a loss for things to carry" (page 16).
this phrase, the author shoes the heavy burden on the shoulders of these soldiers during the Vietnam War. It displays the physical and emotional weight they each had to carry. "What they carried were necessities...partly a function of rank, partly of field specialty...varied by mission" (pages 2, 5, 9). "They all carried ghosts...superstition...each other...diseases...emotional baggage of men who might die" (pages 10, 13, 14). The phrase that especially stood out to me was "They all carried ghosts" (page 10). In addition to the many heavy physical burdens they carried, they were also carrying ghosts. They carried the ghosts of those who they had fought with and lost in battle. Also, they carried the ghosts of those they had left behind at home; they left families, wives, children, and friends knowing that they may never return to see them. "For all the ambiguities of Vietnam, all the mysteries and unknowns, there was at least the single abiding certainty that they would never be at a loss for things to carry" (page 16).
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