Kiowa in ‘The Things They Carried’: A Beacon of Humanity in the Midst of War
Readers are introduced to a diverse group of troops in Tim O'Brien's iconic book "The Things They Carried" as they travel the landscapes of Vietnam while everyone is carrying both material possessions and mental baggage. Kiowa comes up as a particularly intriguing figure among these men, representing the internal difficulties and contrasts that many soldiers experienced throughout the Vietnam War. As a devoted Baptist with Native American ancestry, Kiowa's experiences, convictions, and destiny highlight the difficult moral, religious, and personal issues that arise during times of conflict.
Cultural and Spiritual Background
Kiowa has a unique viewpoint on the battle because of his intertwined Native American history and Christian religion. Kiowa often delves deeply into reflection, contemplating the morality of his acts and considering the wider effects of the conflict on the Vietnamese people and their land while his teammates struggle with the externalities of war. Because of his foundation in both his native culture and Christian beliefs, he serves as the platoon's moral compass:
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The Weight of Guilt and Morality
Kiowa has a strong moral compass throughout the novel, most notably when he interacts with O'Brien after the latter's murder of a young Vietnamese soldier. Kiowa makes an effort to comfort O'Brien by stressing that he has no option and that it is a war instinct after seeing O'Brien's psychological struggle. Kiowa, though, demonstrates the common emotional weight that all of them bear by being susceptible to the shame and hardships of battle.
As a person of Native American ancestry, Kiowa has a strong connection with the planet. In the backdrop of the Vietnam War, this friendship takes on a tragically ironic quality. The terrain becomes the exact thing that absorbs him during heavy rainfall, causing his premature death. The land is both familiar in its earthiness and unfamiliar in its geography. This incident represents both the death of a cherished figure on a personal level as well as the larger themes of nature's callous disregard for human misery and the horrors of war.
A Voice of Reason and Empathy
Kiowa often demonstrates empathy and compassion, in contrast to some of the more experienced warriors. He pays respect to a Vietnamese girl dancing among the war-torn landscape as he makes an effort to comprehend Vietnamese culture. He stands out in the story as a light of hope and human connection because of his capacity to see the humanity in others, even when there is conflict.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the complex character of Kiowa poignantly captures the struggles that troops endured within throughout the Vietnam War. Kiowa represents humanity in a dehumanizing world by his spiritual convictions, moral dilemmas, connection to the earth, and empathy for others. His unfortunate demise serves as a depressing reminder of how relentless and indiscriminate war is. In the larger framework of "The Things They Carried," Kiowa's character challenges readers to consider the sometimes disregarded emotional and moral ramifications of combat by highlighting the real-life struggles that lie underneath the outward appearance of war.
References:
- Tim O'Brien. Their Personal Effects. 1990; Houghton Mifflin.
- Steven Kaplan. "The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien: The Narrator's Undying Uncertainty." Studies in Contemporary Fiction, 1995, review.
- Herzog, Toby C. O'Brien, Tim. 1997, Twayne Publishers.
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Kiowa in ‘The Things They Carried’: A Beacon of Humanity in the Midst of War. (2023, Aug 23). Retrieved from https://phdessay.com/kiowa-in-the-things-they-carried-a-beacon-of-humanity-in-the-midst-of-war/
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