The Things They Carried

Enemies & Friends

Enemies:

O'Brien recalled a fight one morning between Dave Jensen and Lee Strunk over a jackknife that Strunk had stolen from Jensen. It resulted in Strunk breaking his nose because of Jensen repeatedly hitting him. After the fight Jenson became incredibly nervous that Strunk was going to get even with him, Jensen was always on edge never letting his guard down because he had no idea when revenge would be coming. Eventually Jensen uses the butt of a pistol to break his own nose so they could finally be even. But what Jensen didn't know was that they were already even because Strunk did steal his jackknife..

Friends:

After their spat Jensen and Strunk learn to trust each other and become pretty tight in the war. They make a pact with each other that if one gets seriously injured the other would put them out of their misery. During the chapter Strunk's lower leg gets blown off and he keeps begging Jensen not to kill him, a helicopter came to get him but he did not survive the flight. 

 

Reflection:

I believe O'Brien included these chapters to show how crazy war could make you. Jensen could not and would not let his mind rest and he went almost insane, he was crazy enough to break his own nose. He also included it to show how war can bring some people together and gets them to work out their differences. No matter who it is when you are at war with the same person enemies can become friends especially is your life depends on them. It was also very petty to get in a fight over a knife, showing that the soldiers were still young and immature. It is also very realistic with the use of the pact how both Jensen and Strunk were sure that they did not want to live in a wheelchair and the other would put them out of their misery yet, when the time came both of them did not want what they said.