In Stanley Kubrick's 1987 film "Full Metal Jacket", Private Gomer Pyle (Vincent D'Onofrio) names his rifle "Charlene". Pyle is a private who struggles under an abusive drill instructor, Gunnery Sergeant Hartman (R. Lee Ermey). Pyle eventually cracks under the abuse and kills Hartman and himself. It is Hartman who asks Pyle, "What's this weapon name Private Pyle? Pyle replies, "Sir!, the private's weapon's name is Charlene, sir!".

Pundits of war films and international military organizations wrote that Sergeant Hartman was excellent at his job. He clearly knows how to do it. Here, he singles out one soldier in particular, Private Leonard Lawrence, an overweight, slow-minded recruit whom Hartman mockingly calls Pyle. True to real military culture during Vietnam, the goal of the training is to form regular young men into killing machines. This was done by breaking them down, and then building them up again. They are expertly shown how to use their weapons properly. At least, that was the idea. In this case, Pyle with his rifle Charlene are made an excellent example for others.

In practice, Private Pyle was worn down to a breaking point. Hartman turns the entire platoon against Pyle by punishing the group for Pyle's mistakes. By the end of basic training, Pyle had cracked under all the abuse he suffered. He steals a rifle, hides out in a bathroom at night and kills Hartman, then himself. Pyle has become the cold–blooded killer the sergeant and military is looking for.

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