Jimmy Cross's character is very interesting. He takes moral responsibility for other mens' lives and when one of them is lost, he blames himself which the results in an immediate overcorrection. In this case, it was making everyone search the "shit field" in search of Kiowa's body where as before with Ted Lavender's death, he burns Martha's picture. He is too connected to the war even though he claims that "the war meant nothing to him. He did not care one way or the other about the war, and he had no desire to command." He's obsessive over the men he commands and assumes too much guilt over their death. It's ironic that near the end of the chapter he kicks back and floats in the mud and filth that could be seen as letting himself feel what Kiowa felt in his last moments maybe and all the while he's writing and revising a letter that he's going to write to Kiowa's father about the man he thought Kiowa was and how Cross is at fault for his death. This is reminiscent of the letter that Rat Kiley writes to Curt Lemon's sister where he said the same things that Cross is planning to say.Writing, telling stories, and making jokes are reflexive coping mechanisms that go along with isolated company and boredom that also soothe in a crisis and subsequent death of a fellow soldier.
When the character of the young boy is introduced, I immediately thought it was Tim O'Brien but then the chapter goes on to give more detail that derails this assumption. I found this mysterious character curious and I question who he really is and what is his purpose other than to share the guilt or blame placed on Kiowa's death. So far it's three people that feel responsible but I agree with Norman Bowker's opinion in that it's "nobody's fault" but at the same time it's "everybody's." And I also think it's amusing that Azar actually apologizes for his comments about Kiowa literally "eating shit" as a way of death and that he feels guilty for saying those things because he feels like Kiowa was "listening."
"Overcorrection," is an interesting way to talk about Jimmy Cross' actions as a result of his guilt. You are right to point out that Jimmy is a contradiction in his reaction to the war. He cares deeply for his men even if he tries to resist this.
ReplyDeleteGood to connect the two letters. These are stories that characters are trying to control. Ah...the power of writing!
It's everybody's fault and nobodies--another paradox!
Azar is an interesting character. He plays a role in one of the later stories that is chilling. It's like he is a rebellious teen (normal) with fire power (not normal). Yikes!