Pile and His Rifle

Hartman tells the recruits to give their rifle a girl's name and that they're "married to their weapon." Later we see Pile cleaning his rifle and talking to it. This is where I knew that Pile had been driven over the edge by Hartman. In this scene, all of the recruits are shown next to their bunks doing regular maintenance on their weapons. Pile is just one of them. Doing the same things they are doing. At least, externally. But when we see him up close, a three-quarter shot showing him and his rifle, we see that things have taken a much more serious toll on him.

Several times, sexual references are made about the rifles. Hartman saying "you will sleep with your rifle." The troops chanting "I don't want no teenage queen. I just want my M-14." We see this lover-like connection between the recruits and their weapon that is taken somewhat lightly and as a joke. But when we see Pile talking to his rifle, we see how he has processed things differently. Training camp has changed him psychologically. There is a real connection, a lover-like connection between him and his rifle.

Beside him, sort of in the background, is Joker eavesdropping on Pile's conversation with his rifle. Watching Pile being watched by Joker makes the audience feel almost embarrassed for Pile, but especially uneasy about the mental state Pile has been driven to. The audience, along with Joker, know things aren't right with him and are worried for him but not sure what to think of it, not sure if things are going to get worse.

Seeing Pile alongside all of the other recruits doing the same thing that they're doing (and having been doing the same thing they've been doing everyday) make the audience wonder Why has training camp taken a different toll on Pile? Is it because Hartman has been harder on him? Is it because "everyone hates" him? It appears as though he has taken up a relationship with his weapon because it is the only thing that doesn't work against him. It actually works with him and for him. Because of all of the negative things that have been done to Pile, the audience feels a sense of compassion for him. They feel sorry for him and especially sympathize with him when they see that he feels the only friend he has is his weapon. But at the same time, there is an uneasy uncertainty felt by the viewer toward Pile. You know he's been driven too far but you don't know where that's going to drive him.