Women are source of distraction for the soldiers in platoon, but thoughts about them reassemble in motivation, which keeps them alive. Lt. Jimmy Cross is the leader of the platoon, in love with a girl from his college in New Jersey, Martha. She doesn’t feel the same for Jimmy Cross, but she keeps contact with him while he is in war, sends him letters, pebbles, etc. At some point in the novel, Jimmy Cross’s thoughts are far away from the platoon. He thinks about Martha, whether she is a virgin or not, and while he thinks, one of his soldiers, Ted Lavender is shot. Jimmy Cross blames himself; because he thinks that he is not a decent leader. He knows that the source of distraction is Martha. For that reason he burns her pictures and letters,
