TER 6 PLAN THE COWARD

THE COWARD
The text we are about to study was written by Tim O’brien who once fought in Vietnam in the 1960’s.
This extract narrates one of the pivotal moments of the novel as the whole book will revolve around the decision of this young draftee torn between his fears and his pride.
So to better understand this text, we will first go through the main events exposed here.This will allow us then to go beyond and try to find the reasons that led him to take such a decision.A decision that we will reveal in a last part to explain the title of the extract.
So let’s get kicking!

THE FACTS
-first part devoted to the careful planning of the desertion.
Meant to go to Sweden through Canada in a first time.
Took ages to plan as we can see from line 1 to 10. Learnt the language.Some crucial wrds such as “ quote line 3.
Saved money.Then wrote letters to his family and friends.
Took a bus first.Acted as if he was on a pass.(line 16)
-was terrified of being discovered (line 14) or line 23 + Line 25 so he is very tense noticing everyone’s reactions. Somehow sounds as terrifying as Vietnam.So no wonder the author included that remark made by another soldier “(line 17) “Better than nam tha’s for sure “ that sets a parallel between both situations and countries.
-All these details about his preparation are meant to arouse three feelings in the reader:
- first we are given to understand that this is no ordinary soldier but rather an intelligent one who takes careful decisions and thinks things over very thoroughly before making any final act.
- Secondly we are made to understand that the decision of deserting is one grounded in very serious and motivated reasons. That the narrator is acting in such a way because he has very specific reasons not to go and fight in Vietnam, reasons that we will go through in a second part.
- Finally all this minute description makes the end of the text all the more surprising and shows the craft of the author as a writer.

So let’s shift to our next part then to unveil that final decision.

THE DECISION
So at the very end of the text and despite all the painful preparation and the reasons put forward to justify his desertion, he finally decides to go to Vietnam .
Why? But let first expose the reasons he put forward not to go .
Those are explained line 6 .
-does not want to go because of moral reasons;not to kill someone + an unjustified war based on political reasons more than any moral justification that the government had tried to con people into believing.
(Tel the jury more about the vietnam war here / cf cours + test)
-But from the start, he included in his letters more reasons against desertion than reasons to justify his decision .line 8 : he was ashamed of causing embarrassment and troubles for his family and friends as they would be sure to be questioned by the military police as well as looked down upon by all those families whose boys had gone and maybe had died there.
Family was first on his mind then when he finally resolved to go to Vietnam and fight as we can see line 30.
In this ver line he lists all the elements that made him change his mind that is :
-First his family and the shame that would ensue for them.
- then his friends and neighbours with the word “ hometown and friends “thus preventing him from ever going back there anymore.
- The he mentions the word tradition and indeed he realises that as an American he was bound to abide by the traditions and the values of his native country that is patriotism and freedom.But alos because America had always acted as the soldiers of the planet intervening in the affairs of all the nations as they had done during the second world war for instance.
- And that’s true that the love for his country seems to be an essential factor in his decision as the final word he mentions is exile. He seems unable to face years abroad and the fact that he would be forever banned from living in the USA.

All these reasons and more particularly his love for his country seems to be epitomised in this can of Coke he bought and which made him feel line 32 “ better, clear-headed …”
But until those final lines the author is crafty enough not to state that decision in plain words so as to keep the suspense to the end .Indeed what we learn line 33 is that he has decided to become a coward .But thanks to the last line we understand that for him becoming a coward means going and fighting in Vietnam. So let’s explain now this puzzling use of the word Coward.

A COWARD
-definition of what being a coward means cf cours
-So why does he view himself as a coward ? because he has complied to the demands of a nation regardless of his own ideas and beliefs.
- but most of all because he was too afraid to face the shame that would come out of it and the reaction of his family and friends. he prefers to die rather than to see his family deny him and blaming him for being unable to fight and give them credit that is for being a coward.So wha is quite interesting ere is that we have two very different definitions of the same word put side by side :the family believes that being a coward means refusing to fight and being afraid of dying for your own country while he believes that you are a coward when you abide by other people’s ideas and refuse to fight for your own values and beliefs.

Which is our definition and with whom do we side is what we might consider now?

OPINION
a) on the text: did you like it or not?
b) What is your definition of what a coward is ? fighting in a war or for you ideas.

CONCLUSION :
This text takes place in the 60’s but what I found most interesting is that its subject is a timeless one .The Germans for instance during the second war world might have asked themselves the same question: should we follow our leader or stick to our own beliefs.The world is full of martyrs and political prisoners who have decided to fight for their ideas.But first we should decide what things , values and beliefs are worth fighting for .