Dancing Fool!

Henry Dobbins has always been the character who I feel is the softest. He himself is very symbolic. He is a symbol of how a soldier should look, big, muscular, just huge all around, but yet he is the most sensitive of all the soldiers. Henry really tries to be the peacemaker. When I picture Henry Dobbins I picture a person like Po from Mulan. He is huge and could take you our so fast, but all he wants to do is hug you. I don't think Henry goes around hugging people, but all the same. When I think of Azar I think of a guy suffering from "little man syndrome." He doesn't feel good about himself so he tares others down to make himself feel better.  He's just a pip squeak of a guy. 

When Azar is making fun of the girl who is dancing Henry asks him to stop a number of times before making Azar stop. The young young girl Azar is making fun of had just lost her family and she was obviously mourning her loses in a special way.  Instantly when Henry saw Azar making fun of the dancing girl I just was overwhelmed with the thoughts that maybe he was made fun of a lot when he was younger and did not like people picking on those who are different. There is a possibility that he has younger siblings as well. He has an odd respect for women unlike most of the men he is in contact with. Azar is probably the symbol of all the people who made life hard for Henry growing up. Henry really is the big brother in a sense, to all the soldiers. 

I remember being really distracted by the fact that Henry was so forceful towards Azar and wondering "Why does he care so much?" I think Henry sees that war comes from people like Azar who have no tolerance for differences in cultural lifestyle. Henry sees the world through different eyes. There is a part where he is talking about his ex-girlfriend and how he will continue to wear the pantyhose  even though she is not "his girl" anymore. This makes me think that maybe all girls are her to Henry. Maybe he sees the need for tolerance and love not only towards women, but for every person. There is really not a time in the book where I read about Henry purposefully trying to offend someone or hurt them in anyway. The only time you actually see the rougher side is when Azar refuses to stop making fun of the dancing girl. Even though Henry is forceful with Azar I still don't feel like he is trying to hurt Azar he is trying to teach him a lesson. 

In life we have all been Henry's and we have all been Azar's. I know in my life I never feel good when people are being talked about behind their backs. It truly brings a weird air. I feel as though Henry feels the same way, he doesn't like confrontation, he fights in the war because it is his duty, not his choice.  Henry Dobbins is an empathetic person he sees people and can feel what they feel. He makes things personal.