Character Analysis Jimmy Cross

The character I have chosen for study from is Lt. Jimmy Cross, a seemingly weak leader whose training has made him more concerned with having clean weapons and marching in line rather than teach him how to adapt to his environment and deal with his men’s emotions without showing his own.

Lt. Cross is the leader of Alpha Company, although it seems like he isn’t really part of it. He tries to separate himself from his company to maintain his leadership role, which I believe he had never held. It almost seems like Cross is afraid of being a leader. For example, he second guesses himself and his abilities as a leader after the death of Ted Lavender because he believes his pre-occupation with Martha, the girl back home who he is in love with who seems to not think of him the way he thinks of her. Being a leader of a group of men whose lives are in your hands because you make the decisions, you cannot second guess yourself or show any signs of weakness. Due to this infraction and a few others I am lead to believe he is not capable of being an effective leader of his company.

Towards the end of the story it seems like Cross starts to become a little more mature. By disposing of the letters Martha has wrote for him, Cross is accepting the guilt for Lavenders death. This can be viewed as significant because it is showing a character changing. Martha clouded his mind. She, unintentionally, led him to make bad decisions and second guess himself. When he burns the letters he reveals that he is accepting responsibility and the guilt for the death of his men, all while not revealing his own emotions to his men. He shows maturity by making the sacrifice of loosing Martha’s presence with him to free his mind and except accountability so his fellow soldiers can carry on without being crippled by guilt and grief.

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