Q 01/05

In The Things They Carried, what does big machine gunner Henry Dobbins wear around his neck as a protective charm?

A) His mother's silk scarf

B) His girlfriend's pantyhose

C) His father's dog tags

D) A string of wooden prayer beads

Answer · why

B) His girlfriend's pantyhose

His girlfriend's pantyhose stay around his neck even after she dumps him, because, as he puts it, the magic doesn't go away.

Q 02/05

By the end of "Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong", what is the necklace worn by Mark Fossie's girlfriend made of?

A) Human ears

B) Human teeth

C) Human tongues

D) Human finger bones

Answer · why

C) Human tongues

Human tongues hang from the necklace of a girl who had flown in wearing a pink sweater and culottes. Rat Kiley swears every word of the tale is true.

Q 03/05

In The Things They Carried, what good-luck charm does Martha mail to Lt. Jimmy Cross, who keeps it in his mouth?

A) A pebble

B) A coin

C) A seashell

D) A button

Answer · why

A) A pebble

A pebble she found on the Jersey shoreline, where things felt "separate-but-together", becomes the charm he daydreams over instead of watching his men...

Q 04/05

In "On the Rainy River", which country does Tim O'Brien nearly flee to after his draft notice arrives in the mail?

A) Mexico

B) Sweden

C) France

D) Canada

Answer · why

D) Canada

Canada lay just twenty yards from the fishing boat when O'Brien broke down crying and stayed in his seat, too embarrassed to swim for it.

Q 05/05

In "How to Tell a True War Story", which animal does grieving medic Rat Kiley shoot piece by piece?

A) A baby water buffalo

B) A caged monkey

C) A farmer's fattened pig

D) A stray village dog

Answer · why

A) A baby water buffalo

A baby water buffalo takes the bullets as Kiley, crying, shoots it bit by bit after Curt Lemon dies. O'Brien insists the episode is really a love stor...