Adam Nieto Ms. Cardi English 11R, Period 8 24 October 201 Noteboo!

Entr" # 4 Part 1$ The documentary film Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam is written in a style that commemorates the soldiers who fought in Vietnam. Throughout the film a different soldiers story is depicted through his letters. Through these letters the audience is able to see the soldiers story and what that soldier went through during the war. This style can be compared to the novel The Things They Carried. In the book every chapter is a moment in time during the war, majority of the time it is told in the perspective of Tim O rien. !any of these chapters share similarities to the film when it comes to the emotional drainage felt by the soldiers. In the movie this was observed when soldiers were lounging around near the forts of Vietnam. The soldiers said how they missed their homes and families and felt such terrible loss for other soldiers who died in war. In the documentary there were many blank e"pressions seen on the faces of the soldiers, revealing a deep sadness and sense of loss. This emotional baggage specifically can be seen in the first chapter #The Things They $arried% when &ieutenant 'im $ross misses his love !artha. These emotions can also be seen in the chapters #(nemies% and #)riends% when *ave 'ensen feels a loss for his friend &ee +trunk after he tragically dies. (motional feelings loss and sadness are normal to have during a war, it is the proper response for someone to feel sad, scared and angry considering the circumstances. Part 2$ #The Things They $arried% - #$arry That .eight% by the eatles. This song can sum up this whole chapter. In the chapter &ieutenant 'im $ross misses his love !artha at home. /e doesnt know if she loves him back though. This is a problem that he carries with him throughout the war. In the chapter, Tim O rien e"plains the things that the soldiers carried with them physically. )or e"ample, they carried their ammunition, bombs, water, food rations and more. They also like, &ieutenant 'im $ross, all carried emotional

baggage with them as a result of the war. 'im $ross also e"plains how he feels responsible for the death of Ted &avender after he died when $ross was going to the bathroom. The song represents the weight the soldiers carried with them and to keep on carrying on. The message of the song is to keep on carrying on and to stay strong. #&ove% - #I $ant !ake 0ou &ove !e% by onnie 1aitt In the chapter, 'im $ross still feels love for !artha but it is obvious that !artha does not like him back. )or e"ample, she doesnt s2uee3e his hand back. 'im $ross feels really sad that !artha does not love him back. On top of that he still feels guilty for Ted &avenders death. In the song the person singing is sad because the person they love does not love them back. In the song the singer says #$ause I can4t make you love me if you don4t5 0ou can4t make your heart feel
something it won4t.% 6789:. In this chapter 'im $rosss feeling towards !artha were important. This song really e"presses this relationship between !artha and 'im $ross.

#+pin% -#$arry On% by $rosby, +tills, ;ash < 0oung In the chapter there is no front line action happing at the time. It becomes very boring for the soldiers. =s a result, the soldiers play board games like checkers and attempt to rela" and have a little fun. Ted &avender even adopts a puppy. The soldiers all hold emotions of sadness, loss and of course are all home sick. *uring the chapter the soldiers try to make the best out of their situation and carry on. In the song the singer says, #1ejoice, rejoice, we have no choice but to carry on5> To sing the blues youve got to live the tunes and carry on.% 69, ?: The song inspires people to carry on when things are not in the peoples favor. The feelings the soldiers have during this chapter are blatantly e"pressed through their actions. This song inspires the soldiers to keep on carrying on and to find the strength to get through their situation. #On the 1ainy 1iver% - #Inner $onflict% by $arnivore.

In this chapter, Tim O rien tries to run away and go to $anada. /e has an internal struggle throughout the chapter. /e doesnt know whether he should go to $anada and leave or should be

strong and go into war. /e knows that if he were to run away he can never come back to =merica and see his family. /e also knows that people will think of him as a coward. In the song the writer says #;othing can stop the pain5 =nd nothing can stop the pain5 +uffering from an"iety5 It seems like an eternity.% 6@8A: The song e"presses the feelings that Tim O rien must have felt when he was trying to make the decision whether or not he should have crossed the border. This song seemed to be an appropriate choice because it summari3es the feelings that Tim O rien felt. #(nemies and )riends% - #=nimal I /ave ecome% by Three *ays Brace In these chapters &ee +trunk stole *ave 'ensens pocket knife. /owever, *ave 'ensen was not 2uite sure if +trunk stole his knife or not. In the chapter 'ensen hurts +trunk really badly and feels tremendous guilt, which makes 'ensen cra3y. &ater +trunk and 'ensen make a pact to protect each other lives because 'ensen feels guilty that he hurt +trunk. In the song the writer says #I can4t escape this hell5 +o many times I4ve tried5 ut I4m still caged inside5> /elp me believe it4s not the real me.% 6@8C, D: The song portrays the feelings that *ave 'ensen must have felt when he went cra3y over the knife that was stolen from him. /e felt like an animal that couldnt be tamed. /e also felt out of control. +ince the song embodies the feelings that 'ensen must have felt makes it an appropriate choice. #/ow to Tell a True .ar +tory% - #Boodbye !y )riend% by Earla onoff In the chapter O rien e"plains how a true war store is told. /e e"plains that the story can only have significance if you truly believe it. In the beginning of the chapter 1at Eiley writes letters to his dead friends sister on how much he though her brother was a hero. /is friend was $urt &emon. In the songs the writer says, #I4ve seen a lot of things that make me cra3y5 =nd I guess I held on to you 5>+o goodbye my friend5 I know I4ll never see you again.% 6@@8@F, @78@9: The song shows the feelings of sadness that 1at Eiley had when $urt &emon died. /e really looked up to $urt &emon and saw him as a good friend and a hero in the war. The song also describes the hardships they saw through war, especially when it says, #Ive seen a lot things that make me cra3y.% 6@@:

 #The *entist% - #/umiliation% by 'ay 'ay 'ohnson $urt &emon is described as a tough guy a person with lots of courage. /owever during the chapter &emon faints when he enters the dentists room. =fter he fainted he felt so ashamed and in order to regain his status as the tough guy he goes to the dentist and makes him take out a perfectly fine tooth. In the song the writer says, #Gnderneath this surface e"ists5= man with no strength to resist5.../umiliation I don4t understand myself.% 6@8F, ?8@H: This song really connects to $urt &emon because he is really not all though underneath he is just as scared as everyone else. It also shows the way $urt &emon feels after he fainted, he was humiliated and embarrassed. /e was no longer the tough guy. #+weetheart of +ong Tra ong% -#+omeone to .atch Over !e% by Beorge Bershwin In this chapter the soldiers become really bored. They guys say it would be nice to have a girl around to keep them company. !ark )ossie takes this comment very seriously. /e is set on this idea of brining a girl over to Vietnam. !ark )ossie has his high school sweetheart !arry =nne ell come over to Vietnam. In the song the writers says, #There4s a somebody I4m longing to see5I hope that she turns out to be5+omeone to watch over me.% This e"presses the feeling of the men to just have a women presence in Vietnam to keep them company. /owever this song can be ironic if compared to the whole chapter because )ossie and the guys end up having to watch over !arry =nne ell because she disappears and goes to live with the Breenies. /owever this is a perfect song to portray the desire of the soldiers to have a girl figure in Vietnam.