Analysis of Men and War

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Men and War

Throughout history, men have constantly been at war with something. Whether that something was nature, other men, or a supernatural force, men have historically loved battle. War stories have always been a way for authors to express their concerns about issues in society. Through these stories, authors depict honor not seen in real life, problems that face the world now, and closure so often exempt from our world. There are defined enemies, a clear line drawn between good and bad, and we may be powerful and violent for the sake of righteous ideas. "The war story is a way to exemplify good angels and bad, to exercise our fears, and find some comfort in the inevitable triumph of right over wrong," (strangewords.com). There are three main areas that come to mind under the heading "Men as they are portrayed in war". These topics are: typical attire, enemies, and weapons. We will be comparing and contrasting the four issues as they have been presented to us in science fiction, and also how they have been portrayed throughout history.

The typical battle attire of a present-day US soldier consists of a camouflaged jacket and pants. Throughout history, these uniforms have ranged from the blue and gray of the Civil War to the green camouflage we see today. When contrasting these with the typical military uniforms seen in science fiction, there is a distinct difference noted. According to the Babes in Space Gallery, men who are soldiers, or warriors, wear uniforms that seem to almost travel back in time. A few science fiction magazine covers that have been looked at in class show men wearing nothing but briefs and capes. Sometimes,...

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... A Diary From Dixie. Gloucester, Massachusetts: Peter Smith, 1961.

Hoberek, Andrew P. "The 'work' of science fiction: Philip K. Dick and Occupational masculinity in the post-world war II United States." MFS Modern Fiction Studies. Summer 1997.

Jones, Gwyneth. White Queen. New York: Tom Doherty Associates, Inc., 1991.

Kirshenbaum, Gayle. "A Fundamentalist regime Cracks Down on Women" Ms. May/June 1997: 12.

Strangewords.com. 3 Apr 2000. .

The official Isaac Asimov Web Page. 2 Apr 2000. .

The official Nicola Griffith Web Page. 2 Apr 2000. .

The Vonnegut Web Page. Chris Huber. 3 Apr 2000.

Tiptree, James Jr. Houston, Houston, Do You Read?: Science Fiction: The SFRA Anthology. Ed. Warrick. Green Bay, WI: Harper Collins, 1988. 434-474.

Women and the Military. 2 Apr 2000. .

Back to Babes in Space Research Reports

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