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Mary Anne's Character Changes

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Elene Bezarashvili War and change the book the things they carried written by Tim O’Brien provides examples of young men who are going through the path of change during Vietnam war. Even author himself experiences and characterizes this change and shows influence of war on soldiers. war changes people and their sense of identity and place in society as well as their moral.

One of the soldiers who is going through rough time after war is Norman Bowker. Bowker feels a sense of uncertainty, isolation and alienation from himself and society. He find that he is questioning …show more content…

at the beginning Mary Anne is a young innocent girl. Through the story which Rat Kiley is retelling Mary Anne changes: physically, mentally, morally, and becomes socially independent and isolated form society. First she is wearing makeup and wearing fancy girly things, but later She does not wear makeup or girly clothes, her view on her future plans change, she is shortens her hair and changes style of dressing.”A girl that’s the only difference, and I’ll tell you something; it didn't amount to jack. I mean, when we first got here - all of us- we were real young and innocent, full of romantic bullshit, but we learned pretty damn quick. And so did Mary Anne”(97) After her physical change only difference between her and soldiers is the gender and experience, but later she radically shifts to another person, she finds a soldier inside herself. In war She lost her girly manners, identity, and her innocence. “ Sometimes I want to eat this place. Vietnam. I want to swallow the whole country— the dirt, the death — i just want to eat it and have it inside me. That’s how i feel. It’s like…appetite. I get scared sometimes— lots of times—but it’s not bad. You know? I feel close to myself.” (111) In war she finds her feelings and way of living. Even thought she changes she spiritually finds path were she feels everything she wants to …show more content…

For character of Tim war was Brotherhood of soldiers who shared same guilt, same fear, even thought they all where hiding their emotions they were all common innocent boys who shared all same feelings in war. “I envied him—all of them. Their deep bush tans, the sores and blisters, the stories, the in-it-togetherness. I felt so close to them, yes, but I also felt a new sense of separation.” (194)During war Tim’s character is turning evil, envious character who is seeking to revenge on Bobby gorgers and all soldiers cause they isolate him from brotherhood. “I felt something shift inside me. It was anger, partly, but it was also sense of pure and total loss: I didn’t fit anymore. they were soldiers, I wasn’t.” (198) the Change occurs in Tim he losses his identity and reputation in society, he is isolated. Also the Shift happens in his character the feelings inside him kindle, he gets more severe, cold, angry and dark. “I’d turn mean inside. Even a little cruel at times. For all my education, all my fine liberal values, I now felt a deep coldness inside me, something dark and beyond reason. It’s hard thing to admit, even to myself, but I was capable of

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