Compare and contrast Norman's Bowker's lake episode in "Speaking of Courage" with O'Brien's in "Field Trip."
7 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Norman Bowker and Tim O'Brien have similar experiences trying to relive their time in the shit field.
On the one hand, Bowker waded into the lake in his hometown, "opened his lips, very slightly, for the taste, then he stood up and folded his arms and watched the fireworks"(154). Obviously the experience didn't do much for him. It didn't cleanse him of his past evils. It didn't erase the guilt he felt about Kiowa's death. All he could think about afterwards was the good fireworks show going on, and a few years later he killed himself. Bowker feels "almost like [he] got killed over in Nam"(156). He is never able to let go.
O'Brien's experience is much different. Twenty years have spanned between the shit field incident and his return to the spot. He hasn't incessantly obsessed about his involvement in Kiowa's death. The shit field has sucked the emotion from him, leaving a "coldness [that] had never entirely disappeared"(185). But other than that he had made "a nice smooth glide-no flashbacks or midnight sweats" from war to peace(157). But when he goes to return Kiowa's moccasins to the shit field, his voice and mind are "full of things [he] did not know were there"(187). He realizes that maybe he had left something in Vietnam, and that after "two decades [he]'d finally worked [his way out"(187).
When Bowker went to the lake, he went under. Bowker "opened his lips, very slightly, for the taste"(173). He couldn't return to the true place where Kiowa had died so he made up his mind and went to the place that had insted given life to a town. O'Brien did return to the place where Kiowa had died but he never stuck his head under the water. While Bowker had given nothing O'Brien had dropped in a pair of Kiowa's moccasins and allowed them to sink toward the bottom. Both had felt that their friend's death had been thier own fault. Bowker felt this way due to the fact that he had been unable to pull Kiowa up out of the muck. If the theories are true, then O'Brien belived it was his fault as he had been the one to shine the flashlight to let Kiowa see the picture of his girlfriend. -Jennifer Dolezal
O'Brien is able to go back to the actual field where everything happened. I think this makes a difference. It isn't so much about symbolism, more about real images and feelings. He is able to take Kiowa's moccasins and lay them there to rest. Bowker's dip in the water wasn't able to clear him emotionally, but O'Brien's was. I feel like O'Brien encountered a twenty-year baptism. He went "under with Kiowa, and now after two decades [he]'d finally worked [his] was out"(187).
Kaitlyn Betz Both Norman Bowker and Tim O'Brien try to relive that night in the shit field, both feel guilty about it, and both wish it had never happened.
One apparent difference is both mens' perpective of that night, with what emotions they choose to remember what happened. Bowker remembers with guilt, sadness, lonliness. He could not get over what happened that night and the rememberance was never consoled, "The thing is, there's just no place to go. Not just in this lousy little town. In general. My life, I mean. It's almost like I got killed over in Nam... That night when Kiowa got wasted, I sort of sank down into the swage with him... Feels like I'm still in deep shit" (156). Bowker reflects on that night as more than a memory, but also as a mistake he can never fix or tell anyone. In constrast, O'Brien reflects with the same sadness only lessened by understanding and his ability to try and share his memories with his daughter. Unlike Bowker, O'Brien forgives himself and is able to get out, "In a way, maybe, I'd gone under with Kiowa, and now after two decades I'd finally worked my way out" (187).
7 comments:
Norman Bowker and Tim O'Brien have similar experiences trying to relive their time in the shit field.
On the one hand, Bowker waded into the lake in his hometown, "opened his lips, very slightly, for the taste, then he stood up and folded his arms and watched the fireworks"(154). Obviously the experience didn't do much for him. It didn't cleanse him of his past evils. It didn't erase the guilt he felt about Kiowa's death. All he could think about afterwards was the good fireworks show going on, and a few years later he killed himself. Bowker feels "almost like [he] got killed over in Nam"(156). He is never able to let go.
O'Brien's experience is much different. Twenty years have spanned between the shit field incident and his return to the spot. He hasn't incessantly obsessed about his involvement in Kiowa's death. The shit field has sucked the emotion from him, leaving a "coldness [that] had never entirely disappeared"(185). But other than that he had made "a nice smooth glide-no flashbacks or midnight sweats" from war to peace(157). But when he goes to return Kiowa's moccasins to the shit field, his voice and mind are "full of things [he] did not know were there"(187). He realizes that maybe he had left something in Vietnam, and that after "two decades [he]'d finally worked [his way out"(187).
^Hayley Windbigler^
When Bowker went to the lake, he went under. Bowker "opened his lips, very slightly, for the taste"(173). He couldn't return to the true place where Kiowa had died so he made up his mind and went to the place that had insted given life to a town.
O'Brien did return to the place where Kiowa had died but he never stuck his head under the water. While Bowker had given nothing O'Brien had dropped in a pair of Kiowa's moccasins and allowed them to sink toward the bottom.
Both had felt that their friend's death had been thier own fault. Bowker felt this way due to the fact that he had been unable to pull Kiowa up out of the muck. If the theories are true, then O'Brien belived it was his fault as he had been the one to shine the flashlight to let Kiowa see the picture of his girlfriend.
-Jennifer Dolezal
What is O'Brien doing that Bowker couldn't? How does this affect them mentionally? Is this a baptism for Tim?
Hayley Windbigler
O'Brien is able to go back to the actual field where everything happened. I think this makes a difference. It isn't so much about symbolism, more about real images and feelings. He is able to take Kiowa's moccasins and lay them there to rest. Bowker's dip in the water wasn't able to clear him emotionally, but O'Brien's was. I feel like O'Brien encountered a twenty-year baptism. He went "under with Kiowa, and now after two decades [he]'d finally worked [his] was out"(187).
Kaitlyn Betz
Both Norman Bowker and Tim O'Brien try to relive that night in the shit field, both feel guilty about it, and both wish it had never happened.
One apparent difference is both mens' perpective of that night, with what emotions they choose to remember what happened. Bowker remembers with guilt, sadness, lonliness. He could not get over what happened that night and the rememberance was never consoled, "The thing is, there's just no place to go. Not just in this lousy little town. In general. My life, I mean. It's almost like I got killed over in Nam... That night when Kiowa got wasted, I sort of sank down into the swage with him... Feels like I'm still in deep shit" (156). Bowker reflects on that night as more than a memory, but also as a mistake he can never fix or tell anyone.
In constrast, O'Brien reflects with the same sadness only lessened by understanding and his ability to try and share his memories with his daughter. Unlike Bowker, O'Brien forgives himself and is able to get out, "In a way, maybe, I'd gone under with Kiowa, and now after two decades I'd finally worked my way out" (187).
Hayley and Kaitlyn-- nice analysis of quote about "working my way out". So perhaps not so much a baptism as a??
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