Discussion Questions

Choose one question from the questions listed below. Be thorough in your answer. Write your answer before reading any other student's responses to the questions ensuring what you write is unique to you. You also need to respond to two students, again being thorough in your answer/observation.

1. What might be the theme of the story, "Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong?"

2. What is the effect of having a character in O'Brien's book, Rat Kiley, tell this story instead of O'Brien himself?

3. If you were to categorize this story by genre, what genre would you say it is?

4. What happens to Mary Anne in the end of the story? Where does she go?

5. Is Mary Anne Bell a hero, a traitor, or something else-fully support your answer.

The following statements are referred to as "Challenge Statements". They may be correct or incorrect in their assumption. Choose which you believe and defend your choice with examples from the novel

6. In O'Brien's experience, it was never a good idea to trust Vietnamese civilians.

7. Norman Bowker enjoyed being home afgter the war.

8. What ultimately happens to Norman Bowker is the result of the Vietnam War.

9. O'Brien feels responsible for Kiowa's death.