So, we saw that Curt Lemon was afriad of the dentist and fainted before them dentist even touched him. Then later, he went back and had a perfectly good tooth pulled out. I think he did it as a way to try to prove that he was not a coward, not weak, and could overcome his embarrassment. Would you have done the same thing if you were in his place?
Here's a link to a pdf on the history of army dentistry:
Well, I know I hate the dentist. So I don't think I could deal with getting a tooth pulled out for no reason. So no, I wouldn't. But I also know that if I were a soldier and he told/showed me that he got his perfectly fine tooth pulled out, I'd think he were a little strange. It's o.k. to have some fears. I would think all the soldiers would.
I think that he wanted to prove not only to the other men, but also the dentist he was not a coward. Eventually, everyone has to face their fears and I think that since he fainted he wanted to redeem himself.
I do not think I would have done the same thing. I would rather keep a tooth and be embarrassed then loose a tooth and not be embarrassed.
Link to dentistry in vietnam http://www.stripes.com/blogs/archive-photo-of-the-day/archive-photo-of-the-day-1.9717/dentist-at-work-in-vietnam-1968-1.172343
I agree that Lemon was trying to prove that he wasn't a coward, but I don't think that what he did makes him any less of one. Pulling out the dentist's tooth doesn't address his fear at all and just shows he can't overcome it. To me it just showed that he has to resort to other ways of maintaining his "manly" figure, rather than facing his fears. If i was in his place and wanted to look brave, i would have just tried to overcome the dentist.
I can understand his need to feel make himself more manly, because that's what everyone felt the need to do. I think his reaction was ridiculous though, even by the standards of war. Being afraid of the dentist has nothing to do with anything they were doing in the war. It's not like he was afraid of guns or something. So, no, I wouldn't have done what Curt did. He was being over dramatic.
If I were him I would have done the same thing. Staying healthy was a big problem for soldiers in Vietnam and he knew he had to overcome his fear so he could get his tooth pulled so it would not bother him anymore.
Here is an article that talk about the health problems faced that are still affecting them today. http://olive-drab.com/od_history_vietnam_veterans.php
The way O'brien describes Curt Lemon at the beginning of the chapter as having the "tendency to play the tough soldier role..." (82)reminds me of the way teenagers put up a front during highschool. What other comparisons can be made to the attitude and actions of soldiers to highschoolers?
The soldiers had their own slang words like "greased," "humping," or "gooks". We high schoolers have our own slang. We use lots of words that represent other words and turn social networking sites into verbs, for example. This is a massive list of words and phrases used in the Vietnam War http://www.vietvet.org/glossary.htm
Soldiers who were drafted but don't actually want to fight could be compared to students who go to school and don't actually care about homework, grades, etc.
I feel that going back to the dentist so I can prove my courage is somewhat childish. I know these soldiers went through a lot, but the dentist is the universal scourge of terror. I don't see the need to go and pull a perfectly good tooth to prove my courage.
At the end of the chapter, it compares pulling Lemon's tooth out to pulling out a nail. I saw this as more than just a description of what was actually happening. I saw it that the "nail" could have been a metaphor for the shame he felt from being afraid and getting a the good tooth/nail was a way for him to get rid of that shame to make himself feel better. Maybe I'm stretching it a bit, but does anyone else think this?
This could be because once he got the tooth pulled he seemed completely fine with himself. I don't see how something like passing out at the dentist could cause someone so much shame that they have run back in just to get over it.
(Beil)
ReplyDeleteSo, we saw that Curt Lemon was afriad of the dentist and fainted before them dentist even touched him. Then later, he went back and had a perfectly good tooth pulled out. I think he did it as a way to try to prove that he was not a coward, not weak, and could overcome his embarrassment. Would you have done the same thing if you were in his place?
Here's a link to a pdf on the history of army dentistry:
http://history.amedd.army.mil/corps/dental/general/highlights/Highlights.pdf
Well, I know I hate the dentist. So I don't think I could deal with getting a tooth pulled out for no reason. So no, I wouldn't. But I also know that if I were a soldier and he told/showed me that he got his perfectly fine tooth pulled out, I'd think he were a little strange. It's o.k. to have some fears. I would think all the soldiers would.
DeleteI think that he wanted to prove not only to the other men, but also the dentist he was not a coward. Eventually, everyone has to face their fears and I think that since he fainted he wanted to redeem himself.
DeleteI do not think I would have done the same thing. I would rather keep a tooth and be embarrassed then loose a tooth and not be embarrassed.
DeleteLink to dentistry in vietnam
http://www.stripes.com/blogs/archive-photo-of-the-day/archive-photo-of-the-day-1.9717/dentist-at-work-in-vietnam-1968-1.172343
I agree that Lemon was trying to prove that he wasn't a coward, but I don't think that what he did makes him any less of one. Pulling out the dentist's tooth doesn't address his fear at all and just shows he can't overcome it. To me it just showed that he has to resort to other ways of maintaining his "manly" figure, rather than facing his fears. If i was in his place and wanted to look brave, i would have just tried to overcome the dentist.
DeleteI can understand his need to feel make himself more manly, because that's what everyone felt the need to do. I think his reaction was ridiculous though, even by the standards of war. Being afraid of the dentist has nothing to do with anything they were doing in the war. It's not like he was afraid of guns or something. So, no, I wouldn't have done what Curt did. He was being over dramatic.
DeleteIf I were him I would have done the same thing. Staying healthy was a big problem for soldiers in Vietnam and he knew he had to overcome his fear so he could get his tooth pulled so it would not bother him anymore.
DeleteHere is an article that talk about the health problems faced that are still affecting them today. http://olive-drab.com/od_history_vietnam_veterans.php
The way O'brien describes Curt Lemon at the beginning of the chapter as having the "tendency to play the tough soldier role..." (82)reminds me of the way teenagers put up a front during highschool. What other comparisons can be made to the attitude and actions of soldiers to highschoolers?
ReplyDeleteThe soldiers had their own slang words like "greased," "humping," or "gooks". We high schoolers have our own slang. We use lots of words that represent other words and turn social networking sites into verbs, for example.
DeleteThis is a massive list of words and phrases used in the Vietnam War
http://www.vietvet.org/glossary.htm
Interesting list. Almost as long a list as education acronyms.
DeleteSoldiers who were drafted but don't actually want to fight could be compared to students who go to school and don't actually care about homework, grades, etc.
ReplyDeleteI feel that going back to the dentist so I can prove my courage is somewhat childish. I know these soldiers went through a lot, but the dentist is the universal scourge of terror. I don't see the need to go and pull a perfectly good tooth to prove my courage.
ReplyDeleteAt the end of the chapter, it compares pulling Lemon's tooth out to pulling out a nail. I saw this as more than just a description of what was actually happening. I saw it that the "nail" could have been a metaphor for the shame he felt from being afraid and getting a the good tooth/nail was a way for him to get rid of that shame to make himself feel better. Maybe I'm stretching it a bit, but does anyone else think this?
ReplyDeleteThis could be because once he got the tooth pulled he seemed completely fine with himself. I don't see how something like passing out at the dentist could cause someone so much shame that they have run back in just to get over it.
ReplyDelete