8/11/2019 Tim O'Brien The Things They Carried Friends v. Enemies Notes

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Psychological war between Dave Jensen and Lee Strunk within these two chapters

Friends

Textual context

o In late August, they made a pact a couple guys as witnesses. P. 62

important to note that this occurs a few months after the quarrel in the previous chapter

Enemies; indicates that the two didnt become friends per se, yet they trusted each other enough

as comrades to form a death pact ; symbol of trust still insist on drawing it up on paper asphysical proof of their deal proving to be ironic later on

Irony

o But you got to promisecarried Strunk to the dustoff chopper. P. 63 oath is enough to appease Strunk where earlier an oath by word wouldnt suffice; desperateness of

the situation forces him to take Jensens promise by faith; trust depends on the situation, not the

person e.g. Strunk trusts Jensen not to kill him but he wouldnt make the original pact w/o a

compact and witnesses; whom can you trust in war?

Imagery

o He tried to get up and run slivers of bone, and the blood came in quick spurts like water from a pump.

P. 62

simple yet effective and vivid language as opposd to the usually rambling prose of OBrien leads

up to the conflict of the chapter involving the death pact made between the Strunk and Jensen ;

provides a sense of mystery as to who the enemies are in war; shakes the reader into the harsh and

frightening realities of war

contends that war is a time when fantasies are shattered and notions of honor are rendered obsolete in the frightening

face of death

Jensen doesnt take action to kill Strunk relief he feels suggests he believes that there was a right (honoring the

pact and a wrong (honoring Strunks revised wishes

Enemies

Repeition strengthens war distorting social codes

He was careful pg. 60

Sentence fragments emphasizes draining effects of war and the strains of the social code pressures

Jensen pg. 60

But that wasnt the bizarre part pg. 60

o

Imagery Emphasizes the draining effects of war Hearing strange noises in the dark, imagining pg. 60

Watching Lee Strunk pg. 60

Yelling and firing pg. 60

mmonalities

Draining effects of war

pressures of war distort social codes, causing two men on the same side to act violently toward one another for no

real reason. OBrien explains that this behavior results from the immaturity of Jensen and Strunk, and of the

immaturity of grunts in general. Amid the chaotic war in Vietnam, soldiers often battled one another, to relieve the

tension of waiting and because such close confines inspired contentious relationships.

social codes and contracts become arbitrary.

most societies, those who steal are punished by others in order to inspire guilt about, and fear of,

committing wrongs.

lack of an attempt by Jensen and Strunk to resolve their conflict using peaceful dialogue

demonstrates that social contracts have begun to break down Jensen assumes that Strunk will

inflict revenge on him for breaking his nose while Strunk assumes Jensen was somewhat justified

in his action and gotten what he deserved

o Strunks acceptance of the matter and the relief Jensen takes in his exaggerated gesture of settling the score

show that both men are willing to take responsibility for their actions. Unfortunately, with the breakdown of

the social code, each is taking responsibility out of guilt rather than integrity.

The irony in these two stories is expressed by their titles.

o Enemies, Jensen and Strunk are violently opposed to one another although they are fighting on the same

side of a brutal war; end of Friends, Jensen is relieved to learn of Strunks death, although the two are

supposed to be friends. emphasize a wartime distortion of the notion of friendship, esp. when comparedwith the notion of fidelity and promises; just as he assumes, in Enemies, Jensen has broken a social code

by wronging Strunk and must therefore feel bad, so too in Friends does he feel he has broken a socialcode by not honoring the terms of his pact with Strunk

8/11/2019 Tim O'Brien The Things They Carried Friends v. Enemies Notes

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