The Things They Carried

How do the members of O’Brien’s platoon treat the body of the old man? Describe O’Brien’s reaction as well.

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The soldiers joke around with one dead man. They shake his hand and say hello and encourage O’Brien to say hello. He becomes a company mascot of sorts. The soldiers sit him up at meals with them and pretend to feed him. O’Brien finds the humor grotesque and disturbing and retreats to his tent. Kiowa follows him to give him a Christmas cookie from a care package and to tell him he thinks he’s a decent person.