1. Psychoanalyze: why is Rat Kiley mad that his friend’s sister doesn’t write back?
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2. Track the cause-and-effect. Why do soldiers come back from war talking dirty?
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3. What’s the difference between “what happened” and “what seemed to happen" (68)?
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4. Why are some stories “just beyond telling” (68)?
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5. Rat tortures a water buffalo. Why don’t the other soldiers have any pity for the buffalo?
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6. How does proximity to death bring proximity to life (78)?
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7. Why is Rat Kiley’s story (in this particular chapter) a love story (81)?
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SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS: O’Brien writes that, “The truths are contradictory. It can be argued, for instance, that war is grotesque. But in truth war is also beauty.” Consider this statement in your own life (replace “war” with any other noun that fits your life, culture or outlook). Agree or disagree with O’Brien that truth is contradictory and explain why.