We may find out later, but do you think Henry Dobbins will actually go back to those monks? Or any monastery for that matter? Or do you think that the war will scar him so much he won't be able to purely help people like he truly desires?
I personally don't think Henry will ever go back there. I think he was just so caught up in the peace he found there in the time of war that he decided that he wanted to be like them. It was probably just a fleeting feeling.
I think he wont go back to the same monastery, or becpme a preist but i do think he will help people in a way he is able to when the war is over. it might be simple tasks like helping an old women cross the street, but he wont be able to do anything too big that will help people because he was in the war and essentaily "helped" people by protecting the U.S.
I've met quite a few people who get caught up in the emotion of a religious experience, make a bunch of vows, and when the emotion wears off, they're back to the way they were. The biggest problem for Henry is that he actually dislikes church, so I'd find it surprising if he was able to get over that to become a minister. He felt grateful to the monks, this was his way of thanking them.
I don't think he will based on what he said. He says he doesn't care for religion that much and he says that he ins't smart. But I think he may go back to the United States and do things like community service just because he wants to help people. But going to a church is a little bit of a stretch.
I don't think that Dobbins will go back there. I think it was just a spur of the moment deal, and that he was just enjoying being there with the monks. I don't actually think that he will come back, because he kept saying how much he didn't like church and whatnot.
I am positive that if Dobbins made it through the war with minimal injuries he will dedicate his life to helping the lives that he destroyed. I doubt many people were let into Nam after the war but perhaps in other countries.
I believe that that sign is a way of blessing. if you have ever been to church or watched a movie with monks in it they always do the same sort of hand motion. i think that by doing the motion the monks are "washing" away the sins that the men have done....or is atleast trying to wash away their sins.
It's possible that they don't support the Americans, but are helping them so they can be protected, and are washing away their own sins for aiding the Americans.
I think that it was most likely just some monk hand movement. I don't think there was a ton of significance other than they were being their monkish selves. It was probably, like Katie said, some sort of blessing that they often did.
They called him, "Soldier Jesus" (114). So there was something about his personality or maybe just an aura about him that the monks were drawn toward. Possibly because he was so generous to them and kind.
He seemed very likeable based on his description from the last chapter, "full of good intentions... a believer in the virtues of simplicity and directness and hard labor" (111). Although it doesn't explicitly say why, my guess is that he just seemed the most genuine and 'like the monks'. After all, he said he could have seen himself living a life like the monks.
This is probably a stupid question, but are monks Christians? I don't know anything about monks but for some reason I thought they were Buddhist or something in which case, the Soldier Jesus comment wouldn't really make sense unless they were trying to make fun of him in some way??
I think they just sensed his good heartedness. For me, this chapter reflected the brighter side of the relations between Americans and Vietnamese. We are so often tainted by the notion that all Vietnamese were loathsome monsters. However, as this chapter demonstrates, Vietnamese were still breathing, caring human beings. Here is an interesting NPR article about a book that was written about Vietnam, emphasizing the dehumanization of the Vietnamese. http://www.npr.org/2013/01/28/169076259/anything-that-moves-civilians-and-the-vietnam-war
As monks i think it is part of their nature to try to be kind, especially to the enemy. They also seemed to be drawn to Dobbins warmheartedness, and weren't intimidated by him at all. Also the fact that they all had huge guns probably influenced their decision.
Monks live in a place of safety and if they turned away people that wanted shelter that wouldn't be doing there job. no matter how much they may not like the soldiers in their place of worship they still respected them and let them in.
I think that the monks realized how troubled the soldiers were and as their religion says, theu=y should help others and care for them in their time of need.
They realized that the men needed somewhere to belong in the war. So they invited them in, made them feel welcome like their deity would have wanted them to.
I think this is the monks way, they dont want the fighting and the war but they still want to treat all people equal and so they treat the soldiers well.
This is a photo of monks in Vietnam. When reading this chapter, I imagined their robes to be black, so I was surprised to learn that their robes are traditionally a yellow-orange colour.
I wish I could have found a simpler-looking one because the prospect of such an ornate building in a desolate area doesn't really make sense. Nonetheless it's still interesting to see the difference in how churches (temples) are built in different cultures.
(Beil)
ReplyDeleteWe may find out later, but do you think Henry Dobbins will actually go back to those monks? Or any monastery for that matter? Or do you think that the war will scar him so much he won't be able to purely help people like he truly desires?
I personally don't think Henry will ever go back there. I think he was just so caught up in the peace he found there in the time of war that he decided that he wanted to be like them. It was probably just a fleeting feeling.
DeleteI think he wont go back to the same monastery, or becpme a preist but i do think he will help people in a way he is able to when the war is over. it might be simple tasks like helping an old women cross the street, but he wont be able to do anything too big that will help people because he was in the war and essentaily "helped" people by protecting the U.S.
DeleteI've met quite a few people who get caught up in the emotion of a religious experience, make a bunch of vows, and when the emotion wears off, they're back to the way they were. The biggest problem for Henry is that he actually dislikes church, so I'd find it surprising if he was able to get over that to become a minister. He felt grateful to the monks, this was his way of thanking them.
DeleteI don't think he will based on what he said. He says he doesn't care for religion that much and he says that he ins't smart. But I think he may go back to the United States and do things like community service just because he wants to help people. But going to a church is a little bit of a stretch.
DeleteI don't think that Dobbins will go back there. I think it was just a spur of the moment deal, and that he was just enjoying being there with the monks. I don't actually think that he will come back, because he kept saying how much he didn't like church and whatnot.
DeleteI am positive that if Dobbins made it through the war with minimal injuries he will dedicate his life to helping the lives that he destroyed. I doubt many people were let into Nam after the war but perhaps in other countries.
DeleteWhat do you think the significance is of the washing the hands motion?
ReplyDeleteI believe that that sign is a way of blessing. if you have ever been to church or watched a movie with monks in it they always do the same sort of hand motion. i think that by doing the motion the monks are "washing" away the sins that the men have done....or is atleast trying to wash away their sins.
DeleteIt's possible that they don't support the Americans, but are helping them so they can be protected, and are washing away their own sins for aiding the Americans.
DeleteI think that it was most likely just some monk hand movement. I don't think there was a ton of significance other than they were being their monkish selves. It was probably, like Katie said, some sort of blessing that they often did.
DeleteI wonder why the monks took such a liking to Dobbins?
ReplyDeleteThey called him, "Soldier Jesus" (114). So there was something about his personality or maybe just an aura about him that the monks were drawn toward. Possibly because he was so generous to them and kind.
DeleteHe seemed very likeable based on his description from the last chapter, "full of good intentions... a believer in the virtues of simplicity and directness and hard labor" (111). Although it doesn't explicitly say why, my guess is that he just seemed the most genuine and 'like the monks'. After all, he said he could have seen himself living a life like the monks.
DeleteThis is probably a stupid question, but are monks Christians? I don't know anything about monks but for some reason I thought they were Buddhist or something in which case, the Soldier Jesus comment wouldn't really make sense unless they were trying to make fun of him in some way??
DeleteI did not really know what a monk was either. So i looked it up and here is what I found...
Deletehttp://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-a-monk.htm
I think they just sensed his good heartedness. For me, this chapter reflected the brighter side of the relations between Americans and Vietnamese. We are so often tainted by the notion that all Vietnamese were loathsome monsters. However, as this chapter demonstrates, Vietnamese were still breathing, caring human beings. Here is an interesting NPR article about a book that was written about Vietnam, emphasizing the dehumanization of the Vietnamese.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.npr.org/2013/01/28/169076259/anything-that-moves-civilians-and-the-vietnam-war
That was pretty bleak. Very enlightening though.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you think that the monks allowed the soldiers to set up camp at their church and not make a fuss about it?
ReplyDeleteAs monks i think it is part of their nature to try to be kind, especially to the enemy. They also seemed to be drawn to Dobbins warmheartedness, and weren't intimidated by him at all. Also the fact that they all had huge guns probably influenced their decision.
DeleteI agree with Katie. Monks promote peacefulness, and what better way to do so than provide the enemy with food and a place to sleep?
DeleteMonks live in a place of safety and if they turned away people that wanted shelter that wouldn't be doing there job. no matter how much they may not like the soldiers in their place of worship they still respected them and let them in.
DeleteI think that the monks realized how troubled the soldiers were and as their religion says, theu=y should help others and care for them in their time of need.
DeleteThey realized that the men needed somewhere to belong in the war. So they invited them in, made them feel welcome like their deity would have wanted them to.
DeleteI think this is the monks way, they dont want the fighting and the war but they still want to treat all people equal and so they treat the soldiers well.
Deletehttp://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhistworld/vietnam-txt.htm
ReplyDeleteThis is a photo of monks in Vietnam. When reading this chapter, I imagined their robes to be black, so I was surprised to learn that their robes are traditionally a yellow-orange colour.
To those curious what a pagoda is, here is an image of what one looks like:
ReplyDeletehttp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Five_tier_pagoda_at_Mt._Haguro_2006-10-29.jpg
I wish I could have found a simpler-looking one because the prospect of such an ornate building in a desolate area doesn't really make sense. Nonetheless it's still interesting to see the difference in how churches (temples) are built in different cultures.
^ I didn't look at the image for this thread until after I was done with the comment. *shakes head in shame*
DeleteIf these were monks of a different religion or time period, do you think that the situation would have remained the same for the men?
ReplyDeleteFunny video about silent monks
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCFCeJTEzNU