Journal #14

Reading Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried made me think about the material things in my life and which ones are really important. I realized that if I were a soldier in Lieutenant Cross’s unit I would carry my Thing One and Thing Two photo album that my mother bought my sister and me on our trip to Universal Studios.

My sister and I have become extremely close since moving to Colorado five years ago. So in order to commemorate our bond, when I turned 18, my sister and I both got matching tattoos of thing one and thing two and since then we’ve been inseparable. If I carried the thing one and thing two photo album filled with pictures of us throughout the years no matter how bad things were I would be reminded of the simple things that used to make us laugh before the war. I would be reminded of the friends and family I have back home.

By carrying personal effects during the war, the soldiers in The Things They Carried were able to hold on to who they were before the war. They could keep in touch with who they really are and prevent what they experience in battle from affecting their relationships in the real world. 

Since reading The Things They Carried I have realized that material things are just physical representations of our emotional baggage that in the real world we may not want to hold on to. However in times of war and turmoil, these manifestations of emotional baggage can give soldiers a connection to the world they left behind and therefore, something to go back to or something to keep them from changing during the war.

Journal #13

Zitkala-Sa’s story is certainly one of perseverance and strength; however, I do not believe that it is an example of the American Dream coming true. Since her first day of school she was persecuted for her culture and beliefs and although she was eventually treated as a peer in college, it took several months for that change to occur. Even when she received an award at her second oratory contest there were clear signs of prejudice in the audience.

Although it is true that Zitkala-Sa was given the opportunity to explore the world outside of her culture her success academically does not necessarily mean her American Dream has been fulfilled. If the American Dream was truly the outcome of Zitkala-Sa’s tale then why did she claim that “the little taste of victory not satisfy a hunger in my heart” (438)?

If this story were truly an example of the American Dream then Zitkala-Sa’s success would not culminate in a brief moment of triumph but with lasting acceptance among the people around her despite her differing beliefs and background. Although the prejudice of the audience gave her the surge of motivation to prove them all wrong, her victory should not have ended with a trophy but with respect.

Journal #12

Funds for the cause were solicited by the reigning sovereigns in person, and the hospital building was completed in 1860. Very near to its site, on Sept. 2, 1838, I was born.

If anyone native to the 'western world' were to read this sentence out of context their first thought would be to assume that it is about the English Royal family; however, the sentence is referring to the monarchs of Hawaii. The language of the sentence shows that an "new world" to the United States or to England may be as developed and sophisticated as they are but because they country has a different religion or culture it is automatically considered to be uncivilized by western society or "the white men".