Friday, May 23, 2008

“Enemies” and “Friends”

Why does Jensen feel immense relief when Strunk dies? Would Jensen have killed Strunk? Should he have?
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6 comments:

Reena Patel said...

After hurting Strunk, Jensen mentally was worried that Strunk would claim revenge on him and try to kill him. Even though it didn't seem like Strunk was going to harm him, he still feared him and was suffered mentally. He hurt himself to make himself feel better mental. This also connects to the Dentist chapter when Curt Lemon chose physical pain over mental. they did what would help them mentally relax despite the physical pain. Even though Jensen and Strunk became friends, I don't think Jensen and Strunk ever completely trusted each other. In the end, Strunk asked Jensen not to kill him. You wouldn't ask that is you completely trusted that person. While eh felt that they were equal, he still feared that Sturnk would claim revenge. When Strunk died , Jensen felt relieved. He no longer had to worry about the revenge and his promises to Strunk. He was free and only had to think about himself. I don't think Jensen would have killed Strunk, because e would mentally become unstable again. While Strunk can't claim revenge someone else could for him. I think Jensen would have been to sacred to kill Strunk and I don't think he should have either. Strunk didn't do anything to hurt him. He stole the knife and later admitted it. Jensen was the one who hurt him. Strunk only wanted one promise, that Jensen wouldn't kill him and he should abide to that promise.

May 23, 2008 at 7:35 PM
Justin Park said...

Lee Strunk and Dave Jenson have a curious history together. At one point during the vietname war, a brawl between the two officers emerges after Strunk steals a jacknife belonging to Jenson. Dave Jenson, being the stronger of the two "wrapped his arm around Strunk's neck and continued pounding his nose on the ground" (Obrien 63). Upon this encounter between the two, Jenson experiences a period of mental worry, as Reena explained as well. He goes into a psychotic fear that Strunk will claim a vengeance on him. He even goes to the point of hurting himself, showing the extend of his fear. He would rather suffer physical pain in which Strunk can see, rather than holding in the worry and shame of fear that Strunk will kill him. Jenson brings up a pact of friendship in which if one of them gets severely hurt, the other would "take care of it." Jenson and Strunk obviously did not have genuine friendship, which is visible after Strunk's wounding, in which Jenson doesnt carry through with the contract. I also dont think that the two never had genuine feelings for each other; they just wanted each other off their backs. Upon Strunk's wounding, Jenson seems to hold the initiative that he must kill strunk because of the contract, but ends up not doing so. Jenson obviously did not want to do it, and was almost relieved that Strunk died in the helicopter. He feels that if he had to kill Strunk, he would have to bear the mental burden of having killed a teamate,and possibly the physical consequences of punishment by law. All these burdens were lifted off his shoulder. I personally believe that if strunk was mabye knocked out or unable to beg for survival, Jenson would eventually have shot Strunk. Even before Strunk began begging, Jenson was mentally set on carrying out the will amongst the two. Being the moral person that i am, I belive that killing Strunk would have been the wrong choice, especially if he was begging for survival. I dont believe it to be natural to take away a life that living or even wounded. Jenson is mentall too weak to kill strunk, and could not have as well.

May 25, 2008 at 5:29 PM
Lauren Pusateri said...

I think Jensen feels immense relief when Strunk dies because he did not live up to his promice. Both men disscused that they never wanted to live with a wheelchair wound and when they made a pact to eachother that they would end it, they were seriouse. Jensen feels relief becasue he was ashamed that he didn't end it for Strunk. Jensen knew that if Strunk didn't die with that wound he would be misserable for the rest of his life. If strunk was unhappy, Jensen would have thought it was his fault. I think if Strunk asked Jensen to kill him after he had been hurt, Jensen would have done it. Becasue Strunk didn't want Jenesen to her didn't, but if Strunk didn't say anything, I think Jensen would have ended it for his friend. I personally don't think Jensen should have kiile him, I think he made the right chooice. But, Jensen may have thought overwise. For example the guilt he had when Strunk left and the relief when he died. My question is, why did Strunk not want Jensen to end it for him? They both seemed serious when making the pact. Was Strunk faking it the whole time, or was he just afraid to die at that specific moment?

May 26, 2008 at 11:32 AM
Colleen V. said...

Jensen feels immense relief when Strunk dies because his promise is fulfilled, if not by the means agreed upon. A soldier like Jensen would carry his promise with him for the rest of his life and feel incredible guilt if he did not fulfill it. If Strunk had been unconscious after his injury, I think Jensen would have killed him. It would have been difficult for him, but without Strunk pleading for life, I believe he could have shot him. His guilt at killing his friend would be lessened greatly by the honor he would feel after fulfilling his promise. I do not, however, think Jensen should have killed Strunk, even if Strunk were unconscious, because the pair's promise was naive. They could not understand the gravity of the promise until Strunk's injury, so it should never have been made.

May 26, 2008 at 2:01 PM
Roxanne said...

Jenson feels immense relief when Strunk dies because Jenson did not live up to his promise to Strunk. Neither man wanted to live a life in a wheelchair, so they promised each other if one ever got injured that badly the other would end his life for him. When making the promise, I don't think either realized how difficult living up to the promise would be. I don't doubt that they both firmly believed in the pact at the time. But, I think once the reality of killing your best friend, no matter how 'injured' he may be, was thrust into Jenson's life, he doubted himself. This doubt was magnified by Strunk's pleas to not kill him, also. Jenson is torn between fulfilling his promise to his friend, and killing him, and letting him live, but technically 'betraying' his previous trust. Jenson makes the decision to spare Strunk's life, in the process also breaking their pact. The only option that fully alleviates Jenson's cognitive dissonance is Strunk's death from his wounds. In the end, I don't think Jenson would have killed Strunk and I don't think he should have. Jenson was essentially choosing between two commands from Strunk--one command from the past and one from the present. In my opinion, I think the old request is overruled when he pleads for his life, especially being so adamant about it.

May 26, 2008 at 4:11 PM
Mrs. Gerber said...

I agree with you Roxy, but I also bring into question the notion of 'honor.' Like Veit proposed, if Jensen didn't kill Stunk, would he have looked like a coward to the other men? At least through his own eyes? To answer your question, Lauren, I believe the men did believe in their promise at the time they made it; like the girls after you shared, the two soldiers were walking a fine line between boyhood and manhood-- two boys making a man's promise.

May 27, 2008 at 7:41 PM

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