What is the lie that the narrator tells his daughter?

What is the lie that the narrator tells his daughter?

Q: What does the narrator tell his daughter when she asks if he ever killed someone? A: He tells her ‘of course not’ because he thinks she is too young to know the truth.

What problems does Norman Bowker struggle with after the war?

What problems does Norman Bowker struggle with after the war? a He cannot keep a job. b He suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. c Everything has changed and he has no one to talk to about the one thing he wants to discuss.

Did Norman Bowker have PTSD?

A Vietnam War veteran named Norman Bowker had suffered a lot of pressure since he came back from the war. He could not go to work, make friends, or even speak out his feelings. He had been having a sense of guilt because he blamed himself for not being able to save his friend.

What did Kiowa’s death symbolize?

Kiowa’s death is symbolic of the senseless tragedy of war. Kiowa’s entirely submerged body represents the transitory nature of life and the horrifying suddenness with which it can be snatched away.

Why did Norman Bowker kill himself?

Bowker then suggested that O’Brien write a story about someone who feels that Vietnam robbed him of his will to live—he said he would write it himself but he couldn’t find the words. Eight months later Bowker hanged himself.

Why does Norman Bowker still feel inadequate with seven medals?

Why does Norman Bowker feel inadequate, even with seven medals? Bowker feels that his seven medals were for “common valor”, not “uncommon valor”. He feels that if he had been really brave, he would have earned the Silver Star. He imagines that his father might console him with the idea of the seven medals he did win.

What did Norman do to himself in 1978?

What did Norman do to himself in 1978? He hung himself.

What does the man that O’Brien killed symbolize?

Although O’Brien is unclear about whether or not he actually threw a grenade and killed a man outside My Khe, his memory of the man’s corpse is strong and recurring, symbolizing humanity’s guilt over war’s horrible acts.

Why is speaking of courage in third person?

In the story “Speaking of Courage,” the narrative point of view is third person limited. The narrator is not a character in this particular story, and so uses third person pronouns (he, him, his) to talk about the story’s protagonist, Norman Bowker. As narrator, he knows what Norman is thinking and feeling.

Why can’t Norman relate to anyone at home?

He doesn’t want to talk about the war but he does want to talk about how he almost won the silver star. Why is Norman unable to relate to anyone at home? No one knows the things that hes been through and witnessed, and instead they all congratulate him for it.

What story did Norman Bowker want to tell his father but couldn t?

Norman imagines telling his father about how he nearly won the Silver Star. He would start by describing the Song Tra Bong river. Bowker would say he wasn’t brave enough, but his father would point out he got seven medals; he wasn’t a coward.

What did Norman Bowker almost tell the intercom operator?

What did Norman Bowker almost tell the intercom? He was going to tell my story.

What does Norman want to tell his father and convince him of?

Norman wants to talk about Vietnam, and he imagines how he would tell his father about almost earning a Silver Star, but his father is too busy to listen. Norman wants to talk about nearly saving Kiowa’s life and about how he feels he failed in not doing so.