Often you can appreciate a work of literature by finding and reading informational texts related to the story's or poem's subject matter. For example, you might read an informational article about the fears and thrills involved in stock-car racing and then read a story about a young girl who hopes to join a professional racing circuit. The story might be much more meaningful to you because of your newfound knowledge of stock-car racing.
See if you can apply what you've learned about COSR to Tim O'Brien's story "Where Have You Gone, Charming Billy?" Re-read the passage from the story that begins with the sentence "The grass along the path was wet" and ends with "He tried to fight back, but he was weak from the giggles." Then use the questions to discover if what is described in the story corresponds to the definitions and symptoms in the COSR Military Training Manual.
How does Paul Berlin respond to Billy Boy Watkins' death?
How does Paul Berlin's fear manifest itself?
According to the COSR Military Training Manual, are any of Paul Berlin's actions combat and operational stress reactions? If so, provide evidence from the manual.
Based on the COSR Military Training Manual, should Paul Berlin be participating in combat or activities that could lead to combat? Explain your answer.
| Your Responses | Sample Answers |
|---|---|
| He is haunted by it and is very afraid. | |
| He has a nightmare about his father's reaction to his fear; he acts inappropriately, compromising his and his comrades' safety; and he begins laughing uncontrollably. | |
| Yes, he is exhibiting signs of COSR. Table 1-3 lists nightmares as do the bullet points under "Sleep disturbance"; under "Loss of adaptability," uncontrolled laughter is mentioned. One bullet point under "Disruptive reactions" includes this statement: "His mental ability becomes impaired to the degree that he cannot think clearly or follow simple commands." This accurately describes Paul's actions when he can't stop laughing, and because he is endangering the entire platoon, the other soldier "smothers him." | |
| Paul should not be in any situations that might include combat because he is a danger to himself and others. | |
