The Things I Did Not Know at First I Learned by doing Twice...

(O'Brien, 163-165)

Literary Term: Flashback

The entire evening of the death of Kiowa is a constant flashback for Norman Bowker. The previous chapter devoted to his life after the war reveals the metal death he had that evening; his entire life and conscience was lost that night and now he suffers an existence he sees no worth in. Pity is a common reaction to this situation; it doesn't seem fair that this man feels responsible for not only killing another person but also having it be one of his good friends. With such guilt and loss of purpose, it is somewhat hard to determine who had the worst outcome that evening, displayed in the following quote: "He was alone. He lost everything. He'd lost Kiowa and his weapon and his flashlight and his girlfriend's picture. he remembered this. He remembered wondering if he could lost himself." Norman isn't the only one that feels responsible for Kiowa's death; Jimmy Cross spends the morning after the attack recalling his previous mistakes and trying to compose himself. He and the other men recognise he acted as a horrible military leader and now Jimmy has to take responsibly. I cannot imagine living in a situation where the smallest mistakes of turning on a flashlight or not reconsidering a location can lead to death. Men of war carry such responsibly whether they recognise it or not.