In the story 'Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong" in The
             Things they Carried by Tim O' Brian Mary Ann Bell goes from
             one end of the spectrum to the other. Mary Ann is brought in by
             her high school sweetheart, Mark Fossie. They are destined to be
             married and live out the rest of their lives together. In a matter of
             weeks she is transformed from a cute, blonde high school girl to a
             Mark Fossie first toys with the idea of bringing her over from
             Cleveland and then goes through with it. "Listen, the guy sends her
             the money. Flies her over. This cute blonde- just a kid, just barely
             out of high school- she shows up with a suitcase and one of those
             plastic cosmetic bags. Comes right out to the boonies (pg.102)."
             She is very young, at most seventeen years old. She is pretty and
             has a great personality that all the guys appreciate. She is never
             afraid of the unseen horrors of the war. She thirsts for knowledge
             Mary Ann wants to know about everything and her desire for
             knowledge leads her to the loners of the war, the green berets. She
             starts by just going out on ambush with them then it progresses
             more. "The way she quickly fell into the habits of the bush. No
             cosmetics, no fingernail filing, cut her hair short and wrapped it in
             a dark green bandana (pg.109)." She breaks it off with Mark Fossie
             and doesn't want to leave the bush. She does stuff even the
             greenies wouldn't do. She stays with them until she eventually
             The greenies say she's still alive but they've never really
             seen her again. She was one with the jungle. She was young and
             innocent then became a ferocious hunter of the jungle. "She was
             dangerous. She was ready for the kill (pg.125)."
             ...