Questions

1.      How many times does Norman drive around the lake?

2.      What’s the name of Bawker’s girlfriend in high school?

3.      How many medals did Bawker win?

4.      Internal commentary lets the reader know what emotion Bawker feels, what is it?

5.      What does the poop field represent?

6.      Why does Kiowa’s death trouble him so much?

A.    He hated Kiowa.

B.     The company is mad at him.

C.     He feels guilty for leaving Kiowa.

D.    He didn’t kill the VC that killed Kiowa.

7.      Why do you think it is hard for Bawker to accept his father’s admiration?

A.    He views the medals as meaningless.

B.     He wants to commit suicide.

C.     He thinks Kiowa deserved them.

D.    His dad hates him.

8.      Why does Bawker abandon Kiowa?

A.    Because he is ordered to.

B.     He gets wounded as well.

C.     He decides to try and take out the VC firing mortars.

D.    He can’t tolerate the smell anymore.

9.      What did Bawker pull to bring Kiowa out of the muck?

10.  What medal did Bawker almost win?

11.  What kind of vehicle is Bawker driving?

12.  What village were they camped outside of when they were attacked?

From How to Read Literature Like a Professor

"It's More Than Just Rain Or Snow" plays a key role in the chapter "Speaking of Courage". In the story Norman Bawker is telling, he mentions one critical deatil, rain. The rain causes the squad great misery, challenging them, more specifically Bawker, physically and emotionally. It is here Kiowa gets hit and starts sinking in the mud, and then Bawker tries to bring him back up, but fails to do so. It also causes Bawker to have a moral dilemma, he has a hard time deciding whether to help Kiowa or leave him, and witness the non-hero emerge from inside Bawker. It also makes the atmosphere more isolating because it turned the field they were resting for the night into slop, not allowing them to proceed further.

 

"Geography Matters" is also chapter that can be applied to "Speaking of Courage". The story takes place in the jungle, already creating a sense of confusion and danger. Nobody feels safe because, they are fighting on foreign soil and against people who utilize Guerilla tactics. The feces field they stay at for a night is unpleasant because of the rain that is constantly pouring and the smell.

 

From Stephen King On Writing

King said novels consist of narration, dialogue and description."Speaking of Courage" utilizes all of these elements, but mostly description and narration to create the atmosphere in the jungle and show the internal dilemma Bawker is having. However, narration makes up the bulk of the chapter allowing the reader to gain insight to Bawker’s emotions.

 

Key details

When Kiowa is sinking, he decides to leave him to die because he can no longer tolerate the feces.

He wants to talk to Sally, who is a girl he had dated, but she is married so he decides not to.

His friend Arnold drowned in the lake he keeps driving around.

He has seven medals, and almost won the Silver Star. He doesn't think there is anything special about the medals he has already.

Speaking of The Things They Carried

From How to Read Literature Like a Professor
"It's More Than Just Rain Or Snow" plays a key role in the chapter "Speaking of Courage". In the story Norman Bawker is telling, he mentions one critical deatil, rain. The rain  causes the squad great misery, challenging them, more specifically Bawker, physically and emotionally. It is here Kiowa gets hit and starts sinking in the mud, then Bawker tries to bring him back up, but fails to do so. It also causes Bawker to have a moral dilemma, he has a hard time deciding whether to help Kiowa or leave him, and glimpse the cowardice emerge from inside Bawker. It also makes the atmosphere more isolating because it turned the field they were resting for the night into slop, not allowing them to proceed further.
"Geography Matters" is also chapter that can be applied to "Speaking of Courage". The story takes place in the jungle, already creating a sense of confusion and danger. Nobody feels safe because, they are fighting on foreign soil and against people who utilize Guerilla tactics. The feces field they stay at for a night is unpleasant because of the rain that is constantly pouring and the smell.

From Stephen King On Writing
King said novels consists of narraration, dialogue and description."Speaking of Courage" utilizes all of these elements, but mostly description and narraration to create the atmosphere in the jungle and show the internal dilemma Bawker is having.

Key details

When Kiowa is sinking, he decides to leave him to die because he can no longer tolerate the feces.
He wants to talk to Sally, which is a girl he had a crush on, but she is married so he decides not to.
His friend Arnold drowned in the lake he keeps driving around.
He has seven medals, and almost won the Silver Star. He doesn't think there is anything special about the medals he has already.

Opening the Book

In the words of the great Stephen King, "opening the door" too early or too frequently can be dangerous. You do not want to divulge all the details of the story or novel and ruin it just yet. The reader alter the author's way of writing and possibly ruin the whole project. The stage in which you should seek feedback from an outside source is I believe, the end. The feedback is critical to the novel and author, so they can go back to make amends.

When the time is right and you do "open the door", you don't just hand out your book to anyone. The project should be handed to people you consider very close to you. which should be immediate family mostly and your best friend. You can trust them because they are close to you and they will be honest. That is exactly what you are looking from them, brutal honesty. It might kill your dreams, but in the long run you will benefit from it.