Exploration Six

“That old man,” she said, “is he mad at you or something?”
“I hope not.”
“He looks mad.”
“No,” I said. “All that’s finished.” (O’Brien 179)

The chapter Field Trip affected me the most for a couple of reasons. For one, it takes place twenty years after the war in Vietnam. O’Brien and his daughter, Kathleen, are standing at the field where Kiowa died. I believe this is a powerful story because the author is using all the knowledge that he has accumulated over the years and traveling to a place where he made youthful decisions. I am positive that questions of “what if…” sprang into O’Brien’s mind when flashing back to that rainy night. It was also important to notice the business that he conducted while there. Laying Kiowa’s moccasins deep in the mud was truly a powerful moment. One of the more interesting quotes in the book occurred at the end of this chapter. As Tim exited the water, he met eyes with the Vietnamese farmer. Kathleen later questions him about it, (seen above).

The character that struck me as most relatable would be Kiowa. He provides a good model as to what I would want to be like if put in their situation. Kiowa, the soft-spoken, compassionate, forgiving, religious, and reserved type, is someone who keeps his or her moral compass straight, even when faced with such adversity.

I think two people that present a striking resemblance to one another are Rat Kiley and Brian Lyons. One thing that they share in common are their struggle to cope with loss. Rat said that he was tired plugging holes and caring for the wounded, and eventually he took matters into his own hands to make sure he never had to do it again. Brian also had one of the more difficult times coping, with the drugs and therapy that is, however never to the extent of Rat. One thing that was different about the two was the order in which it happened. Brian was very fragile at first but later overcame the obstacle where as Rat was solid in the beginning and then began to chip away mentally.