Generation Kill Question #1

Evan Riley claims to be writing his book not just as a chronicle of the initial stages of the Iraq war, but also as a description of today's youth. How would you characterize your generation (ages15-25)? What about the younger soldiers in this book do you feel reflects accurately the characteristics of your generation (those 18-19 year olds, who are now 21-22, are your generation!)? What about them do you think is atypical of your generation? This is a very open question, but one that requires reflection to answer well...

The Things They Carried, Question 2

Read the poem "Facing It" by Yosef Komunyakaa. It is written about a Vietnam veteran visiting the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial. After reading the post and viewing the photos, please find a portion of The Things They Carried which connects to the ideas and emotions Komunyakaa expresses in his poem and explain the connection you see.

Additional information about the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial is available here.

The Things They Carried, Question 1

The first story in the book refers to the title of the collection. In a two part response, consider the following: first, what are the multiple meanings of "carry" used here, and how does each meaning apply to the soldiers; second, what do you "carry" in the same way that the soldiers "carried" things.

The Red Badge of Courage, Question 2

Stephen Crane is often viewed as a Naturalist, which means he is a writer and thinker who believes that human beings are governed more by hereditary instincts and passions than by the environment or society. Cite examples from the book which would either serve to prove or disprove this view of Crane.

The Red Badge of Courage, Question 1

Imagery is "the use of vivid or figurative language to represent objects, actions, or ideas" (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/imagery), and Crane's powerful imagery is one of the reasons The Red Badge of Courage is so widely read and admired.

In your response to this post, please quote one passage from the novel which contains powerful imagery and explain what "objects, actions, or ideas" are being represented and described by that imagery.

In your response to other's posts, please make sure that you clearly and richly expand on their idea and perhaps even pose questions of your own which might further the discussion.