In this book the knowledge of death and its closeness causes the men in the story to alter their behavior by changing they way they display power, modifying emotions to relieve guilt, and by exhibiting different actions to ease anxiety. Death can change how people display their power or how they use their existing power by altering their behavior. Power is an emotionally strong element to have; power can make someone feel better by knowing that they have control over someone or something else. When fear is present, power

Another major change in behavior is the men killed other men; it is not normal for these civilized men to walk through a jungle and kill other men. Why do they kill the other men? Because, if they don’t kill, they will be killed, and they know this and respect it. The men have respect because of the fear they have of death, and the fear is entered into them by experience and it is a major part in their behavioral change.

In the story Lieutenant Cross makes both of the changes after the death of Lavender. He changes his values by acknowledging that Martha was not in love with him and now he would not be in love with her and he also burnt the pictures and letters so he was not looking at them anymore. The guilt that they all felt altered how they acted. Some of the men made jokes about tense situations that were not funny because joking made them feel better. The situation grew lighter by laughter, even though the men knew nothing was funny about their situation, and this knowledge made them feel guilty about their insensitive acts because it violated their values.

The men had many defenses against fear including joking, being cruel, carrying guns, and killing other people. The men were most likely not cruel individuals, but to defend against fear they had to remove compassion for people, actions, and themselves. The men did this to not feel the pain that is present when they lose a member of the group; if they feel no attachment to him there is no feeling of loss. The men’s actions did not seem cruel to them; it was just their way of battling against fear. This type of separation is a major change in behavior because it is natural to become attached to others when they are close.

can aid in easing the anxiety by giving the person the emotional lift that is prese

Some topics in this essay:
Lieutenant Cross, Vietnam O'Brien's, Lavender Cross, Vietnam War, Jimmy Cross, Norman Bowker, Lieutenant Cross’s, change behavior, O'Brien's Carried, disguise fear, behavior power, fear death, violent nature soldiers, anxiety death, power example, doing story, major change, alter behavior, major change behavior, display power,