In The Field

In The Field is another chapter back in Vietnam. In the beginning, Lieutenant Jimmy Cross is very interesting. Actually, he is always rather interesting. From the beginning chapter to now he has been one of the more complex characters. Perhaps this is because he has to go through it alone. His fears, his crush on Martha, his guilt at the deaths of Lavender and Kiowa are all compounded by his isolation as head of the group. Even though all of them are isolated from their families and homes, at least the others have each other. As everyone else is combing the sh*t field for Kiowa's remains, Cross is left with the responsibility of attempting to come up with something to write to Kiowa's father. Although he almost the same age as the others and not much more experienced, he is forced into the role of a stoic adult. He cannot ever show his emotions good or bad, because his soldiers need him to be brave. He even has to look over all the young boys like the soldier standing listlessly alone in the field.
 The boy is sort of a lost puppy filled with remorse. To cope with his guilt at Kiowa's death, he searches desperately in the muck for the picture of his ex-girlfriend that caused his guilt in the first place. The picture is to him what the pantyhose were to Dobbins.
 The graphic description of Kiowa’s corpse is also disturbing. I can’t imagine looking at someone I know with their shoulder missing, covered in blood, mud, and bruises. It is like some horrific Halloween story. I simply cannot imagine how they coped with the unrelenting, enormous guilt, and grief, and loss, and fear, and exhaustion day after day.