Question #4

Rating: 8/10 (14 May 2007)

#4. Why does Mike go back to Vietnam to find Nicky? Be specific with this one and use examples.
I think that Mike goes back to find Nicky for two reasons. First off, I think that he is just not happy back at home. He has been completely changed in Vietnam, while his friends back at home expect him to be exactly the same as when he left. Michael would like to forget his experiences with the war, but everywhere he goes, someone is there to shake his hand and remind him. It is also easy to see by the way he purposely skips his party and by the way he stays in a hotel that he just wants to get away.
The second reason that Mike goes back to Vietnam is that he promised Nicky he would not leave him over there. I think that at first Mike tries to put his promise out of his head, telling himself that it was Nicky's choice to stay. However, Mike is unable to do anything without thinking about Nick. Even though (in reality) it is not Mike's fault that Nicky is still there, hunting with the guys and sleeping with Nick's girlfriend begin to make Mike feel guilty about leaving Nicky in Vietnam. In the end, Mike's devotion to his friend wins out, and he risks his own life going back to get Nick.