Entry #19

"'That old man,' she said, 'is he mad at you or something?' 'I hope not.' He looks mad.' 'No,' I said. 'All that's finished'" (page 179).

When O'Brien goes back to where his friend Kiowa was killed with his daughter, there are 2 farmers close by. His daughter notices that one of the men looks angry. To me, this sounds like the man is holding some kind of grudge. Maybe against Americans or maybe just personally against O'Brien. To me it seems ridiculous. The war had been over for some time and this man is still angry. Possibly his father or brother or son was killed in the war. Or possibly he just knows that the Americans reaped havoc on his country and for this he refuses to forgive them.

Grudges are part of human life. Everyone holds them at some point in time and they do nothing but hurt us. They ruin friendships and families, start wars and feuds. A grudge can be some one's downfall. Any grudge, big or small is not worth the consequences of such hate.