Chapter 8: The Dentist

Characterize Curt Lemon and why he behaves the way he does. How does this affect your reading of the previous chapter?

• Through the eyes of Tim O’Brien, Curt Lemon was prideful and seemed to have a huge ego. He tried hard to make himself seem stronger and more fearless than he actually was  in front of his soldier friends. Tim admitted that it was hard for him to mourn for Curt because of his personality. Tim thought that this was mainly due to either his high self-esteem or “a low opinion [of himself] that he kept trying to erase” (O’Brien 82). It might have also been due to the fact that Curt was young compared to the others and he wanted to fit in by making himself look tough. With this knowledge, it’s easier to dislike Curt’s character, but doesn’t change the fact that his death was horrible and shocking. Knowing that he was so young is just a reminder that the war cost many people, including young teens of our age, their lives.

How did Curt Lemon’s visit to the dentist affect him?

• In spite of his large ego and his effort to create a strong image of himself, his visit to the dentist made Curt tense up and ultimately drop his “tough boy” act. Before seeing the dentist, Curt was  asked what was wrong and he answered that “back in high school he’d had a couple of bad experiences with dentists” (O’Brien 83). In short, Curt was traumatized and most likely scared of the dentist. This was proven by the fact that Curt fainted during his visit to the dentist. This affected him greatly because his embarrassment over fainting overcame his fear of the dentist. Consequently, Curt went to the dentist and pretended to have a toothache in order to have his tooth removed. This action ended up helping his self-esteem and hie ego, since in his eyes, he was able to overcome his fear. In the last sentence of the last paragraph, O’Brien describes this by stating that “in the morning Curt Lemon was all smiles” (O’Brien 84). 

What is the purpose of placing this chapter directly after “How to Tell a True War Story”?

• The purpose of placing this chapter directly after “How to tell a True War Story” was most likely to lighten the mood. The previous chapter was deep and thought-provoking, leaving readers questioning the reality behind the truth and a story. Additionally, O’Brien ended the chapter ultimately accusing people of not listening and not paying attention to the true meaning/moral behind a story. O’Brien went on to describe that a true war story is “never about war… It’s about love and memory. It’s about sorrow. It’s about sisters who never write back and people who never listen” (O’Brien 81). In order to not leave readers questioning what the truth really is and if they ever actually listen, O’Brien placed “The Dentist” right after that chapter in order to distract the readers and create a light-hearted mood through the amusing story of Curt Lemon’s visit to the dentist. 

Reflection:

At first glance, “The Dentist” is simply a story that reveals Curt Lemon’s personality before his death. Yet, this chapter contains a hidden meaning and a deeper message. It is revealed that Curt had a large ego and was full of himself, which is why he was always trying to prove himself a strong and fearless man, despite his age. After being embarrassed during his visit to the doctor, Curt tried to prove to himself that he was not afraid by going back to the doctor and having his tooth removed. The message that O’Brien was trying to send through this story is that during the war, physical suffering was more bearable than mental anguish. Curt wanted to experience and become familiar with both the physical pain of getting his tooth removed and the mental pain of facing his fear, in order to ease his mind of anxiety. This point is further made clear by the fact that Curt didn’t want to do something as simple as seeing a doctor, yet didn’t give a second thought to the potential danger of playing with a grenade, which in the end, cost him his life. O’Brien hoped to show the readers how the chaos of the war caused the soldiers to value their mental sanity over their physical well-being.