Response to prompt #4- Why does Mike go back to Vietnam to find Nick? Be specific with this one and use examples.

Rating: 6/10 (9 December 2015)

Mike decides to go back to Vietnam to find Nick because he realizes that he cannot simply go back to living his old life since returning home from the war, but he also knows that he won't be able to move forward until he knows what has happened to Nick. Before leaving to be in the Vietnam War, Nick is living a life that satisfies him greatly. He loves his job at the local steel factory despite the labor and the conditions within the mill. Nick also enjoys the simplicity of going out for drinks with his best friends, and the relationship that he has with Linda. Because of all of these things he makes Mike promise that, no matter what, he would not leave him behind in Vietnam.
Due to the unpredictable circumstances Mike ends up leaving his friend behind, but upon realizing that Steve has been receiving extensive amounts of money from Saigon he begins to suspect that Nick may still be alive. This prompts Mike to return to Vietnam. Without knowing what had happened to Nick, Mike is not able to return to work at the steel factory or pursue a real relationship with Linda despite them both sharing feelings for each other. Mike cannot even bring himself to do the one thing that he seems to be known for back at home, which is killing a deer with his "one shot" policy. His relationships with all of his friends back home have changed, specifically with Stosh, and he needs the closure of knowing Nick's whereabouts in order to move on and with his new life.