1.      Dunbar served in the Union Army in the Civil War (1861-65).  What do you know about this war?  Why was it fought?  Who won?

 

a. Civil war was fought (1861-1865), North and South went to war in April 1861. The Southern states had claimed the right to secede and had formed their own Confederacy. Their forces fired the first shots. The Northern states, under the leadership of President Lincoln, were determined to stop the rebellion and preserve the Union.

The North had more than twice as many states and twice as many people. It had abundant facilities for producing war supplies, as well as a superior railway network. The South had more experienced military leaders and had the advantage of fighting mostly on its own territory.

For four years, ground battles involving tens of thousands of soldiers and horses were fought in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Georgia.The single bloodiest day of the war was on September 17, 1862, when the two armies met at Antietam Creek near Sharpsburg, Maryland.

Noth America won the war.(Shaheen(Kashish)).(03-26).

 

 

b. I got information about the Civil War (1861-65) from the Online Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. The Civil War (1861-65) was due to a conflict between the U.S. federal government and 11 Southern states that fought to secede from the Union. (Accessed online http://www.britannica.com/ebc/article-9355164). Thirdly, the Union troops won the Civil War. (Jennifer, 03/25/07)

 

c. Between 1861 and 1865, the northern states and southern states had a Civil War. It is because there was a big gap of slavery between them. The South needed black people's labor, but the North didn’t. After the Civil War, slavery was abolished and the North won. <source: http://100.naver.com/100.nhn?docid=723729 > Dae Gun Kim ( 26/Mar/07)

 

D. In 1861 fight was initiated between North American and South American of the USA. The causes of the war were many factors include state rights, moderinization and economic difference between North and South. The results of this war were  970,000 casualties (3% of the population) from which 620,000 soliders deaths. By 1865 North American won the war. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War. (Mohamed Ali, 03/27/07).    

 

E. Civil war was in nineteen centery, between north and south of America because of so many reasons at the end north of America won the war.(Nazanin, 03/27/07)

 

 

F.     I know few things about that war; all I know is because a friend of mine told me a bet about that terrible dark page of the U.S.A. history. He told me that after the Union or Yankees won the war they went back and destroys some places like Georgia where my friend come from. It’s so sad because literally was a war between relatives. The reason of why was it fought haven’t easy answers, I think was mostly due by two main reasons such as: Abolish slavery and keep together all the states. The Yankees won that war. (Felix, 3/28/07)

 

G. The Civil War was between the Northern and Southern states. This war is also known as the War of the Rebellion, the War of Secession, and the War for Southern Independence. The Department of State prevents the Confederacy from obtaining European recognition. That was one of the most important victories won by the United States and it was not a fought on a battlefield. (Flavia, 03/28/07)

 

2.      Several different tribes of Indians (Native Americans) are mentioned in Chapter IV.  What are they, and how are they described?  What can you say about the relationships among the different tribes of Plains Indians?   

 

a.They were Pawnee, the most terrible of all tribes. Roached hair and early wrinkles and a collective set of mind something like the machine,pawnee saw things with unsophisticated but ruthlessly efficient eyes, eyes that, once fixed on an object, decided in a twinkling whether it should live or die

 

Horse-rich Comanches-a small party of eleven men, Comanche bands were always a step or two ahead of the hapless Pawnee.

 

Kiowas

 

Strong party of Utes,who had killed several good warriors and made off with thirty horses. (Shaheen(Kashish)).(03/24)

 

b. The Pawnee, the most terrible of all the tribes, witth unsophisticated but ruthlessly efficient eyes.  Their migration was not in a body, but in group. The Pawnee finally established themselves in the valley of Platte river. Moreover, the different tribes of Plains Indians was lifestyle, for example, when they had a buffalo, not only for the food, but also for clothing, weapons. (Jennifer, 03/25/07)

 

c. Of the several Indian tribes, the Pawnee give me a strong impression. They look like animals and dead people. Also, they are unsophisticated but ruthless. Dae Gun Kim ( 26/Mar/07)

 

D. Pawnee were the most terrible of all the tribes with roached hair and early wrinkles and a collective set of mind (like a machine). they could not see all that they wanted. All the different Indians had the same lifestyle. (Mohamed Ali, 03/27/07).

 

 

E.    Pawnee described as the most violent of them, Comanches described as rich in horses, Kiowas, Utes. “Relationships”, definitely there were not relationship more than fight and hostility. (Felix, 3/28/07

 

F. The tribes are Pawnee, Comaches and Kiowas. The Pawnee are the most feared and powerful of the tribes. If they should decide about a life they put in that decision a psychotic precision. The Comaches had a vengeful mood and they always were one step ahead the Pawnee. (Flavia, 03/28/07)

 

 

3.      In Chapter V, Lieutenant Dunbar tried to kill himself.  How does your culture or religion view suicide?  Do you respect Dunbar less for having tried to take his own life?

 

a. In my religion, you have no right to end your own life which you are leaving because this life which one is leaving was given by God, and only God has the right to take our life, not we human beings.

Well, according to my viewpoint, Dunbar's decision to take his life was not right. (Shaheen(Kashish)).(03/24)

 

 

 

b. As a soldier, when he faced this situation, it is easy to understand why he wanted to kill himself. Because he wanted to commit suicide and prove that he loved his country.  Most history records showed that soldiers always killed themselves when they were the only survivors.  In my culture, if (a soldier did something) for the country's benefit and then committed suicide, we would respect him. (Jennifer, 032507)

 

c. Solitude could cause people many problems. In this part, I don’t know exactly why he wants to die. In my opinion, it is because he is alone now and because he lost his people. I think that in any case, killing oneself cannot be justified.  Dae Gun Kim ( 26/Mar/07)

 

D. In my culture and religion, suicide is forrbidden (Taboo). Our souls do not belong to us; they belong to God (Allah). So we have no right to kill ourselves. I think Dunbar should not think in this way despite the situation he was in because he was a solider and should resist in the war and he should be qualified for this mission. (Mohamed Ali, 03/27/07).  What did you mean by "resist"?

 

 

E.      Lt. John Dunbar was so scare to loose his foot that he run away from Pennsylvania field Hospital, but it wasn’t enough time to recover his foot. Them back to battle the pain was just devastating for him, he had only wanted to die. However for Anabaptist person commit suicide is one of the worst sins. I can criticize his attitude, but don’t diminish my respect for other rights. (Felix, 3/28/07)

 

F. Catholic Church doesn’t accept suicide, and because the majority of Peruvian are catholic I think that they didn’t accept it too. God give us a life and he is the only who can decide if we will live or not.  His reaction to tried suicide doesn’t make me to respect less Dumbar. We are human beings and like that we have difficult times during our life. We have weak moments where we can take wrong decisions.  (Flavia, 03/28/07)

 

 

4.      “What did time matter to him now?  What did it ever matter? … How good it will be to live without time for a while, he thought.” (p. 39)    Comment.

 

a.Accourding to Lieutenant Dunbar, he felt how good it would be to live without time for a while ,he thought how much more efficient it would be to work when a person felt like it, to eat when a person was hungry, to sleep when a person was sleepy,well for him time did matter some time, perhaps it was necessary in the movement of things men and material, for instance.  For cooking things correctly.  For schools and weddings and church services and going to work. (shaheen(kashish)).(03/24)

 

 

 

b. For Lieutenant Dunbar, this monent is very wonderful and casual whatever he wake up or slept. He was free for now and wanted to continue this life-style. He did not think anything and enjoyed the wonderful memories.  This is a way to forget the bad memories and just live for himself. The time  belonged to him and he could do everything he wanted. He hoped that everything would go smoothly with him. (Jennifer,032507)

 

c. He is alone now. Time is meaningless for him. There is nobody who speaks with him and there is nothing for him to do. He is just waiting for someone to help him. He feels that today is the same as yestererday and tomorrow. (Dae Gun Kim. 26/mar/07)

 

D. In Dunbar's situation, time is nothing, so he can live a while without time. He thought how much more efficient it would be to work when a person felt like it, to eat when a person was hungry or to sleep when one felt sleepy. (Mohamed Ali, 03/27/07). 

 

 

E.    With right reason he doesn’t care of time, he was “outside” of time. If at that time he felt that sometimes the time captures our natural and biological behaviors in an tight routine such as the present city life style. (Felix, 3/28/07)

 

F. He started to feel that routine makes us lost some moments. We just are like machines during our daily life. We work, study or try to live. In that moment we eat just because we know that we need it, but we don’t have time to appreciate that moment. It is the same when we sleep because for our rhythm of life we cut our sleeping. Now he had a lot of time to enjoy everything, think, and not be worried about time. (Flavia, 03/28/07)

 

 

 

 

5.      How did Lt. Dunbar feel about being alone (Chapter VII)?  How would you feel in that situation?

 

a. Lieutenant Dunbar missed some things. He missed the company of people. He missed the pleasure of stiff drink. Most of all, he missed women, he wanted to share his thoughts with someone, and when lieutenant thought of this missing element, he would drop his chin and stare morosely at nothing, he looked pale in light of what he had, his mind was free. There was no work and there was no play.Everything was one.It dint matter whether he was hauling water up from the stream or trying into a hearty dinner.Everything was the same,and he found it not at all boring,he thought himself as a single current in deep river.

 

If I were Lieutenant Dunbar, i would feel the same as he was feeling. (Shaheen(kashish)).(03/24).

 

 

 

b. Dunbar did have a normal life, such as social life,  a girl friend.  However, the changeless life did not trouble for him.  He could imagine himself as a single current in a deep river and he loved the daily observation rides on Cisco's bare back.  He did a lot of different things to make the life colorful.  He enjoyed the life even though he was alone.  If I were Dunbar, I would try to do something to distract my mind. I do not think being alone is a bad thing. Sometimes it helps people to re-consider what to do for their next step.  (Jennifer,032507)

 

c. Doing nothing is boring. People should do someting. A famous economist--I don't remember his name--said that the most valuable thing is labor. If I were him, I would go crazy. (Dae Gun Kim 26/mar/07) 

 

D. Dunbar missed a lot of things. He missed the company of people. He missed the pleasure of a stiff drink. His mind was free. There was nothing to do. Everything was the same. If I were in his situation, I would try to start again and think in useful something to do. I would think in my previous life and try to plan another life. (Mohamed Ali, 03/27/07).

 

E. Dunbar is alone and he has nobody to spend time and enjoy his life. If I were he, I would change my life.(Nazanin, 03/27/07)

 

 

F.     He missed the human company, liquor beverages, and intercourse. However he felt good living that way for him was a wonderful feeling of freedom. I’m pretty sure I’ll miss so much all the facilities and commodities. (Felix, 3/28/07)    

 

G. He missed the world. That means people, social life and women. Although he missed all these worldly stuffs, he tried to enjoy his loneliness. That situation is a necessary state that every person felt that he or she needs. Loneliness makes you think about your situation, how you are guiding your life.  I think that it is a precious moment for reflections. (Flavia, 03/28/07)

 

 

 

 

 

If you have any questions about the story up to this point, write them below:

 

1.