Why did you choose to go to war? This is a question that many people ask to soldiers every day. People will ask if you enjoy war or if you fight for a higher cause. There are many different answers to this question, but the thing is we can't understand the answers anyway. Srg. Jaime Isom said it best. “When the bullets start flying it's not about God or country or anything like that it’s about the right next your left and your right and that about it.” - Sgt. Jaime Isom (Soldier of soldier of conscience). There is a bond that is made when fighting next to someone. Trust that only can be shared between soldiers who put their lives in each other’s hands. Although I can not fully grasp the concept things like, art, text, photographs and movies can certainly help. The images to the left can ties in very nicely with this idea. There are two things too look at in this image, one being the quote. There is one part of this quote that sticks, and is the key to begging to understand. “I won't say a goddamn word. Why? They won't understand”, much like Norman Bowker in The Things They Carried as a returning soldiers it is hard to connect with people again. In part to the time spent, but also in part to the other forms type of connection you have made with the people you are fighting with. Rather than fighting for God, Country, Ideas or any of that, it's the guy on the left and the guy on the right. This connection is so strong that everything pales in comparison. The second part is the picture it's self. That is the second half of the puzzle. This photo was taken during D-Day, infantry was almost guaranteed certain death. So then why push forward? The answer as I see it is simple and heroic. They push forward, up the beach of to certain death in the hope of giving guy behind him a fighting chance. That is what a meant by “the man next to you”. It is about fighting not for your own life but “the man next to you”. War is about camaraderie, team, work, but I like how O’Brien put it is “never about war” (64)
Great ending, nice connection to real life battle (D-DAY)
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ReplyDeleteThe first thing that caught my eye was the way you started your analysis off with a question. It intrigued me and made me want to read the rest of it. The quote that you incorporated really helped your ethos because of how it was from an actual soldier, who knows war best. My favorite line was "the second half of the puzzle" because of the imagery that was displayed and because of the connection you made of how the quote and the image fit together like puzzle pieces. Finally, the way you talked about D-Day was amazing. We all have seen pictures of this battle and wondered the same thing you wondered, which was why they kept pushing forward into a bloodbath. The way you answered it "for the guy next to you" was a new perspective and helped me better understand why they did what they did.
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ReplyDeleteYour line " So then why push forward? The answer as I see it is simple and heroic. They push forward, up the beach of to certain death in the hope of giving guy behind him a fighting chance." is could very well have been the reason why the solders pushed forward. I agree with the idea that civilians wont't ever understand what the soldiers faced and why they face them. Many great statements and connections to real life and to Tim O'Brien's book.
ReplyDeleteThe main body of the statement does well to keep the reader invested, but the ending did an especially good job of supporting your thesis statement, it being "War is about the soldier next to you," while O'Brien says, "Never about war."
ReplyDeleteI really liked the introduction to this writing. I like the way that you started it with a question. I also liked how you ended it with an O'Brien quote. I thought the picture went well with your ideas. You did a good job with the details you gave and how you analyzed your thoughts.
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