In the last paragraph of Chapter 4, the narrator says, “I was a coward. I went to war.” Why did O’Brien believe it was cowardly to GO to Vietnam rather than stay home?
O'Brien feels that he is a coward because he went to war rather than fleeing to Canada, which in his view was the "right" thing to do. He was ashamed of himself because rather than having the courage to stand up for what he believed in despite the criticism of others, he did the exact opposite. Had he believed in the cause and wanted to go to war or if his reason for fulfilling his draft duty had been different than his fear of rejection by his family and home town, he would not feel like such a coward.
He believed it was cowardly to go to war because he was giving in to what everybody else around him wanted him to do. He didn't have the strength to stand up for what he believed in so he just went with what his family and everybody else wanted. That's why O'Brien felt like a coward after deciding to go to war.
He believes that he is a coward by not going to war because he feels that his family and friends will not look at him the same if he were to flee to Canada. Despite being so close to Canada, he decides to go to war because he feels like that's what society wants him to do, and if he doesn't then he will be considered to be a "coward." He decides to go to war even though he was very anti-war in college, and he is still unsure about the pros and cons of the war.
O’Brien believes that he was a coward because he did not have the courage to jump off of the boat and swim to Canada. He had the opportunity to escape the war and start a new life, but did not have the courage to go through with it. He decided to go to war to please his family, friends, and community. That is why O’Brien believed he was a coward for going to war.
Do you agree that it is cowardly to serve your country even as you betray your morals? After all, O'Brien did say that he wasn't terribly opposed to war until he was drafted.
On the rainy river. O'Brien felt like a coward because he didn't follow what he wanted to do. He wanted to flee away to canada. His family wanted him to be a man and go to the war. He didn't stick up for himself which made him feel like a coward. Moreover, He felt like he didn't want to be portrayed as a coward by friends and family. It was better for him to treat himself as one than his friends and family.
O'Brien felt like he was a coward for going to war because he gave into what everyone wanted him to do. Even though he did not want to go to war, his community pressured him into staying in the boat and returning home. He envisioned his community surrounding the lake urging him to either side of the lake. He believed he was a coward for giving into the wishes of others.
O'Brian felt that he was a coward for going to war rather than running to Canada because it wasn't what he thought was the right thing to do. He just gave into what everyone else wanted, he wanted to make his family happy. He didn't stick up for himself because he was afraid others would see him as a coward.
The entire story sets us up to believe otherwise, that O'Brien is being a coward for running away. As it turns out, he decides he's a coward for going to war and caving to peer pressure.
O'Brien feels like a coward because he decided to go to war, and go along with what the majority was doing. He caved to the pressure even though it was against his moral standards. He wanted to flee to canada, and even though that might normally be seen as the cowardly idea, to him, choosing to become what he never wanted to be because it was morally wrong to him was the most cowardly thing he could do.
He thought it was a coward to go to war rather than going to Canada because he felt that it wasn't the right thing to do. He thought it was cowardly to do the thing that everyone thought was right to do rather than what he wanted to do. He didn't have enough courage to go to Canada.
He felt like a coward because he didn't believe in the Vietnam war. He wanted to flee to Canada when he got drafted, but instead he chose to fight in a war that he didn't believe was right, so he called himself a coward.
He found himself cowardly because he didn't have the courage to jump off the boat and swim to Canada. He decided everyone would have called him a coward if he didn't enlist, even though it went against what he really wanted to do, making him seem cowardly in his own mind anyway.
O'Brien believed it was cowardly to go to war because it was the war did not feel right to him. He felt like a coward because he gave into the unnecessary war and didn't have the courage to go to Canada.
He believed he was a coward because although he did not believe in the war, he still decided to go. He didn't even know what the war was about or who started it. He also went against his judgement and stayed in America instead of fleeing away to Canada. O'Brien cared more about how other people saw him instead of doing what he thought was best for himself.
He felt cowardly because instead of jumping off the boat and doing what he thought was right, he instead stayed and did what others expected and wanted him to do.
O'Brien felt that is was cowardly to go the the war because he didn't agree with it and didn't want to, but did because he was embarrassed not to. He let his need to please others and America take over his personal morals.
He felt like a coward because he did not do what he wanted to do and flee the war. He did what his family wanted him to do and go to fight in the war. He did not do what he felt was right , so in his eyes he is a coward
O'Brien feels that he is a coward because he went to war rather than fleeing to Canada, which in his view was the "right" thing to do. He was ashamed of himself because rather than having the courage to stand up for what he believed in despite the criticism of others, he did the exact opposite. Had he believed in the cause and wanted to go to war or if his reason for fulfilling his draft duty had been different than his fear of rejection by his family and home town, he would not feel like such a coward.
ReplyDeleteIt feels like a real trick ending to me, which is one of the reasons I like the story so much.
DeleteHe believed it was cowardly to go to war because he was giving in to what everybody else around him wanted him to do. He didn't have the strength to stand up for what he believed in so he just went with what his family and everybody else wanted. That's why O'Brien felt like a coward after deciding to go to war.
ReplyDeleteMost of us would consider it cowardly to run away, but I like how he frustrates our expectations with this story.
DeleteHe believes that he is a coward by not going to war because he feels that his family and friends will not look at him the same if he were to flee to Canada. Despite being so close to Canada, he decides to go to war because he feels like that's what society wants him to do, and if he doesn't then he will be considered to be a "coward." He decides to go to war even though he was very anti-war in college, and he is still unsure about the pros and cons of the war.
ReplyDeleteAnd he's so close to pulling the trigger and crossing into Canada, too ...
DeleteO’Brien believes that he was a coward because he did not have the courage to jump off of the boat and swim to Canada. He had the opportunity to escape the war and start a new life, but did not have the courage to go through with it. He decided to go to war to please his family, friends, and community. That is why O’Brien believed he was a coward for going to war.
ReplyDeleteDo you agree that it is cowardly to serve your country even as you betray your morals? After all, O'Brien did say that he wasn't terribly opposed to war until he was drafted.
DeleteOn the rainy river.
ReplyDeleteO'Brien felt like a coward because he didn't follow what he wanted to do. He wanted to flee away to canada. His family wanted him to be a man and go to the war. He didn't stick up for himself which made him feel like a coward. Moreover, He felt like he didn't want to be portrayed as a coward by friends and family. It was better for him to treat himself as one than his friends and family.
I don't understand your last sentence, Leelee.
DeleteO'Brien felt like he was a coward for going to war because he gave into what everyone wanted him to do. Even though he did not want to go to war, his community pressured him into staying in the boat and returning home. He envisioned his community surrounding the lake urging him to either side of the lake. He believed he was a coward for giving into the wishes of others.
ReplyDeleteDo you agree? Have you ever caved in and done something because others wanted you to?
DeleteO'Brian felt that he was a coward for going to war rather than running to Canada because it wasn't what he thought was the right thing to do. He just gave into what everyone else wanted, he wanted to make his family happy. He didn't stick up for himself because he was afraid others would see him as a coward.
ReplyDeleteThe entire story sets us up to believe otherwise, that O'Brien is being a coward for running away. As it turns out, he decides he's a coward for going to war and caving to peer pressure.
DeleteO'Brien feels like a coward because he decided to go to war, and go along with what the majority was doing. He caved to the pressure even though it was against his moral standards. He wanted to flee to canada, and even though that might normally be seen as the cowardly idea, to him, choosing to become what he never wanted to be because it was morally wrong to him was the most cowardly thing he could do.
ReplyDeleteWhat's your opinion? Is he a coward? If so, there were likely a lot of cowards serving in various wars throughout the years.
DeleteHe thought it was a coward to go to war rather than going to Canada because he felt that it wasn't the right thing to do. He thought it was cowardly to do the thing that everyone thought was right to do rather than what he wanted to do. He didn't have enough courage to go to Canada.
ReplyDeleteBut he came awfully close. Then there's the sequence where he imagines people that he hasn't even met yet.
DeleteHe felt like a coward because he didn't believe in the Vietnam war. He wanted to flee to Canada when he got drafted, but instead he chose to fight in a war that he didn't believe was right, so he called himself a coward.
ReplyDeleteMost people would define what he did as courageous. How do you see it, Tiffany?
DeleteHe found himself cowardly because he didn't have the courage to jump off the boat and swim to Canada. He decided everyone would have called him a coward if he didn't enlist, even though it went against what he really wanted to do, making him seem cowardly in his own mind anyway.
ReplyDeleteWhat role did his visions play in keeping him in the boat, Evan?
DeleteO'Brien believed it was cowardly to go to war because it was the war did not feel right to him. He felt like a coward because he gave into the unnecessary war and didn't have the courage to go to Canada.
ReplyDeleteThis was a major issue for Vietnam draftees. Canada beckoned. Do you think he made the right decision, Ryan?
DeleteHe believed he was a coward because although he did not believe in the war, he still decided to go. He didn't even know what the war was about or who started it. He also went against his judgement and stayed in America instead of fleeing away to Canada. O'Brien cared more about how other people saw him instead of doing what he thought was best for himself.
ReplyDeleteHe did some research and learned a little more. What do you make of the section where he worked at the slaughterhouse? Is that symbolic in some way?
DeleteHe felt cowardly because instead of jumping off the boat and doing what he thought was right, he instead stayed and did what others expected and wanted him to do.
ReplyDeleteDo you agree with O'Brien's assessment? I suppose we should also make a distinction between "O'Brien" the character and O'Brien the author, as well.
DeleteO'Brien felt that is was cowardly to go the the war because he didn't agree with it and didn't want to, but did because he was embarrassed not to. He let his need to please others and America take over his personal morals.
ReplyDeleteDo you think this happens often, Abby? Are most of us more concerned with pleasing others than with following our own consciences?
DeleteHe felt like a coward because he did not do what he wanted to do and flee the war. He did what his family wanted him to do and go to fight in the war. He did not do what he felt was right , so in his eyes he is a coward
ReplyDeleteDo you agree? It takes a brave person to stand up for an unpopular belief.
ReplyDelete