A Class Blog exploring American literature and the American experience.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Stockings
The soldier Henry Dobbins believes in superstition and he thinks that his girlfriend's pantyhose has a magic power. Why do you think O'Brien decided to write a chapter about this? / what does it tell about war and soldiers?
I think it's one of the enclosure of a major theme that morals are twisted in the War. If Dobbins were to wear that pantyhose on his neck back home, he might be humiliated by other people. However, in War, the pantyhose somewhat represents Dobbin's pray for survival. In other words, the pantyhose is as much important to him as the Bible to Kiowa. It is not just something that women would wear, but rather Dobbins' desperate/optimistic wish to survive. It reflects a moral of the War.
I agree with Bruce in that it reflects the moral of the war. I also think that it shows that all the soldiers need something that will give them confidence while fighting. They are all superstitious because they all carry something with them for good luck. Like Bruce said, Henry Dobbins could never do something like that back home, but in the war, the circumstances are so much different and it is perfectly fine for someone to wear their girlfriends pantyhose around their neck.
I also think that the pantyhose represent Dobbin's pray for survival. I also think O'brien uses them as used as a tool to show us that soldiers have certain things that they either do or own to remind them of home. In other words these pantyhose remind Dobbins that they are not only things that will remind him of his girlfriend but will keep him sane. In the sense that they will remind him what he is surviving for.
I agree with all of you guys. All the things that they carry represent them in some way. The things they carry remind them that there is a life waiting for them back in USA. War is terrible and has an enormous impact on human mind. Things the soldiers carry remind them that there is a place, a better place waiting for them. The things they carry give them hope for survival. However, none of them would do that in their normal life, because they wouldn't be afraid of losing it. In the war nothing is certain and the things they carry give the soldiers the only hope for survival.
I think it's one of the enclosure of a major theme that morals are twisted in the War. If Dobbins were to wear that pantyhose on his neck back home, he might be humiliated by other people. However, in War, the pantyhose somewhat represents Dobbin's pray for survival. In other words, the pantyhose is as much important to him as the Bible to Kiowa. It is not just something that women would wear, but rather Dobbins' desperate/optimistic wish to survive. It reflects a moral of the War.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Bruce in that it reflects the moral of the war. I also think that it shows that all the soldiers need something that will give them confidence while fighting. They are all superstitious because they all carry something with them for good luck. Like Bruce said, Henry Dobbins could never do something like that back home, but in the war, the circumstances are so much different and it is perfectly fine for someone to wear their girlfriends pantyhose around their neck.
ReplyDeleteI also think that the pantyhose represent Dobbin's pray for survival. I also think O'brien uses them as used as a tool to show us that soldiers have certain things that they either do or own to remind them of home. In other words these pantyhose remind Dobbins that they are not only things that will remind him of his girlfriend but will keep him sane. In the sense that they will remind him what he is surviving for.
ReplyDeleteI agree with all of you guys. All the things that they carry represent them in some way. The things they carry remind them that there is a life waiting for them back in USA. War is terrible and has an enormous impact on human mind. Things the soldiers carry remind them that there is a place, a better place waiting for them. The things they carry give them hope for survival. However, none of them would do that in their normal life, because they wouldn't be afraid of losing it. In the war nothing is certain and the things they carry give the soldiers the only hope for survival.
ReplyDelete