In the chapter "How to Tell a True War Story" the narrator talks about generalizing and the truths about war.
"War is hell, but that's not the half of it, because war is also a mystery and terror and adventure and courage and discovery and holiness and pity and despair and longing and love. War is nasty; war is fun. War is thrilling; war is drudgery. War makes you a man; war makes you dead." (80)
These are very extreme comparisons and I'm not saying I don't think all of them could be true about war but it got me thinking how can something so horrible that they describe as nasty, drudgery, and despair be also descried as fun and holiness? Any thoughts?...
12 comments:
Both are true. That's the whole point. Think about it. Opposites can coexist like that. Most people assume that something cannot be good and evil at the same time. But that's not really true, is it? Think about it.
Well, I can't think of a better time to get religion than when you know you have a 75% chance of getting shot. Holiness, well, you are risking you life for your friends, your country, for everything you cherish. Fun...well, you have friends, you laugh, you tell jokes, you do some stuff that would be fun...if you were not about to get shot or blown up.
In another chapter, O'Brien states that the war was not all bad. Sometimes they had fun; they bonded with each other. They became friends and fought as brothers. As hellish as it was, it had some bright sides; and as Mrs. Calkin said, dying for your country definitely has a holy aspect.
I think that wars such as Vietnam become the way of life for a person. sort of an "either your in or out deal", but people were dragged into that world against their will and made what they could of it. they all miss their home and family but at the same time there is the adrenaline. there is also the wild imagination they become accostumed to during their bored days...and days like that got them to thinking.
I think that it can be desribed as fun and holy because of the experiences they have. Yes, they see and do horrible things. Many of the experiences are tragic. But if you put those things aside, you see that they learn from each other and they have fun together. Curt Lemon and Rat Kiley made up games to keep them entertained. Also, war is unlike anything any of them have ever done before. Knowing that they are doing something that people considered bad had to be exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. As far as war being holy, you have to keep in mind that many of the things they saw had to bring about some spiritual revelations.
War is an explosion of emotion and sensation. it overloads your senses to the point of complete confusion. war encompasses every feeling all piled into one big ball.
it is kinda like when you get embarrased then you laugh about it later. While in war and in the moment its hard to see anything but "nasty", and "drudgery". Yet, after war or event after a shooting you can sit back and examine the moment and realize more than just whats harsh.
I think that the soldiers in Vietnam had some fun. Though war is full of death and other horrible things, you have to remember that these kids where still in their teens. They were doing the same things anyother teen would do. Joking around, smoking dope and having fun
I think that the fun part comes from the soldiers doing whatever they could to not think about the war. I mean yes war is a horible and terrible thing, but there was no way out of it for them. They had to make the most of a bad situation so they made it fun, doing things like drinking, smoking, girls, cards, and just all around having a good time.
Maybe the author made the comparsion to represent that there were two types of men... one that found war nasty, drudgery, and despair but to others it can be fun and holiness because it is an honor and they enjoy being able to serve and attack other people.
I agree with caligula. I think that good and evil can exist at the same time. They describe the war: nasty, drudgery, despair... but also fun and holiness. Its like an oxymoron. Like hmmm... icy hot. It feels icy at first but then all of a sudden gets hot. Just like a nasty fun war. Many think that it is nasty but at the same time can be fun because they are fighting for our nation's freedom and they take pride in dignity in that. I don't know if that makes much sense but that is just what I think.
I think that war is different and something that is not in an average day and so when they say that it is fun i think that it can be because it is different, but it also brings a lot of terrible things and that would be where there is death and danger.
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