TTTC- "The Lives of the Dead"

I want to know how this story speaks to you, what it makes you think of, and what it has to do with the rest of The Things They Carried (ie how it influences/adds to your understanding of theme).

Why do we tell stories? Why is the act of telling stories about yourself and your personal history important? (Or is it?)

Journal—“Field Trip” & “Ghost Soldiers”

(“GS”) What does it really mean to be part of a group (not just with them)? How does one go about truly belonging? How do we lose a sense of belonging? And is there anything besides belonging that is lost in that situation?

(“FT”) To me, the “Field Trip” story is intentionally paralleled with “Speaking of Courage” in the two baptism scenes—with two different characters getting in the water (Bowker in the Iowa lake to watch the fireworks; O’Brien in the Vietnam lake to give Kiowa his moccasins). But! The implication is that one character is “saved” (O’Brien, who walks away, literally and metaphorically), and two (Kiowa [the Christian?], who literally drowns, and Bowker, who does so psychologically) are not saved. Why is that, do you think?

And finally, is Tim O’Brien a reliable narrator? Can you trust him? ☺

(one more thing-- extra bonus excitement points, which are like extra credit for the soul, for interacting with other people's with the "@" tag!)