In Mitch Albom's “The Five People You Meet In Heaven” Eddie finds himself reunited with his captain from World War 2. The Captain, much like the other four people he meets in heaven, had to teach him a valuable lesson. Eddie is taught the importance of making sacrifices, and the good that can come out of it. This lesson is very important to Eddie’s history with the Captain. During the war, Eddie, his captain, and four other American soldiers were captured by four crazy men from the Philippines. After nearly six months of living life as prisoners, the men escaped. Naturally, they were angry that they had been in captivity for so long, so when firearms came into their possession, the first thought that popped into their minds were to blow up the camp where they were being held. …show more content…
The isolated camp burst into flames as the grenade exploded. The crackling fire pleased the soldiers, and for the first time in what seemed to be a lifetime, they were in charge. Suddenly, Eddie’s eyes deceived him, and he was certain that there was a face popping out of the flames. The soldiers would have tried to bring the man to safety, but they didn't see the man and there were bombs approaching. The Captain noticed that Eddie was following his own motto, to leave no man behind. He also knew that the bombs would be turning the area to rubble any second. Hoping it would heal easily, the Captain shot Eddie’s leg and carried him to safety. Here, the Captain made the decision to sacrifice Eddie’s knee, for his life. As they were escaping, he ran ahead to see if there was anything alarming. BOOM! Flames flew into the air again, and the clueless soldiers kept driving, in hopes to make it home alive. Sadly, the large explosion was a landmine that killed the Captain. We learn that the Captain sacrificed his life for the lives of four of his men. When this war hero gives a lesson about sacrifice, he can teach from personal
Michael MacDonald’S All Souls is a heart wrenching insider account of growing up in Old Country housing projects located in the south of Boston, also known as Southie to the locals. The memoir takes the reader deep inside the world of Southie through the eyes of MacDonald. MacDonald was one of 11 children to grow up and deal with the many tribulations of Southie, Boston. Southie is characterized by high levels of crime, racism, and violence; all things that fall under the category of social problem. Social problems can be defined as “societal induced conditions that harms any segment of the population. Social problems are also related to acts and conditions that violate the norms and values found in society” (Long). The social problems that are present in Southie are the very reasons why the living conditions are so bad as well as why Southie is considered one of the poorest towns in Boston. Macdonald’s along with his family have to overcome the presence of crime, racism, and violence in order to survive in the town they consider the best place in the world.
of war and the many ways death can be perceived during a time of war. In the novel Catch 22,
One of the hardest events that a soldier had to go through during the war was when one of their friends was killed. Despite their heartbreak they could not openly display their emotions. They could not cry because soldiers do not cry. Such an emotional display like crying would be sign of weakness and they didn’t want to be weak, so they created an outlet. “They were actors. When someone died, it wasn’t quite dying because in a curious way it seemed scripted”(19). Of course things were scripted especially when Ted Lavender died. It had happened unexpectedly and if they didn’t have something planned to do while they were coping they would all have broken down especially Lieutenant Cross. Cross...
Through our life experiences, we all have a different story or perception of an event that we envision to be the truth. The question is, how do we know what is the truth? In the novel by Russell Banks, "The Sweet Hereafter" tells a handful of stories from different points of view providing contrasting angles and meanings to the same event. As these stories interlock with each other and intertwine together the accounts of how each of these people cope with this tragedy, Banks helps readers explore the complexities of grief. In "Books of The Times; Small-Town Life After a Huge Calamity", Michiko Kakutani feels Banks draws on the school bus accident as a catalyst for enlightening the lives of the town's people. "It's as though he has cast a large stone into a quiet pond, then minutely charted the shape and size of the ripples sent out in successive waves." Told in a fluid stream-of-collective-consciousness the four parallel first-person narrations shows the reality and vulnerability behind the cruel twist of fate. The shifting of these tales backward and forward in time fits into the mosaic perfectly in conveying the meaning across to the readers.
In Full Metal Jacket, Stanley Kubrick's portrayal of the Vietnam War and the US Marines is immense. His "Boys to Men" theme brought forth the transition these young men had gone through in order to achieve that "Man" status. The beginning of the movie takes place at the Marine boot camp on Parris Island in South Carolina. The Marines, as always, were looking for a few good men. On this day, they received a group of wide-eyed teenagers, and some adults, but mostly teenagers. Obviously unaware of what will await them in boot camp and more importantly on the frontline, their Senior Drill Instructor Sergeant Hartman played by R. Lee Ermey greets them. Sergeant Hartman plays a different role in the film depending on the perspective you take. To me, he is my coach. They have been through similar situations I have been through and are there in guidance. However, contrary to Hartman's intentions, he forces them to learn quickly and efficiently because this is not a game that they are practicing for. This is life and Death. Sergeant Hartman had seen Vietnam personally. A hardened veteran of the US Marine Corp, Hartman demands to see the fear in his recruits so, in a bullying manner, he can take it.
Beginning with an introduction of the “all American boy,” Hemingway launches the short story “Soldier’s Home” with a simplistic, yet through depiction of the protagonist Harold Krebs. Attending a Methodist college in Kansas based with a strong religious foundation, Krebs seemed to be one who had his life all figured out. Nonetheless, this all changes when Krebs makes a conscious decision to enlist in the Marines during the occurrence of World War I. Based off of Ernest Hemingway’s famous works, it is very typical of him to initiate his short stories with a contrasting theme---in this case war and religion. One of the Ten Commandments of the Bible is “thou shall not murder.” However, regardless of whether it is believed that war is justifiable
The Viet Cong regiment was attacking from concealed positions astride the road. Sgt. Long abandoned the relative safety of his armored personnel carrier and braved enemy fire to carry wounded men to evacuation helicopters. As the platoon fought its way forward to re-supply advanced elements, he constantly exposed himself to enemy fire at close range to provide needed supplies. He inspired his comrades by fearlessly standing unprotected to stop the enemy as they attempted to mount his carrier. When the enemy threatened to overrun a disabled carrier nearby, he again disregarded his own safety to help the severely wounded crew to safety. As he was handing arms to the less seriously wounded and reorganizing them to press the attack, an enemy grenade was launched onto the carrier deck. Immediately recognizing the imminent danger, he shouted a warning to the crew and pushed to safety one man who had not heard his warning over the roar of battle. He then threw himself over the grenade to absorb the blast and save the lives of eight of his fellow soldiers. Sergeant Long died of Multiple Fragmentation Wounds from
A Cold Day in Paradise is a book that was written by Steve Hamilton and takes place in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The name of the book is very significant to the meaning of the book. The cold day represents the metal bullet that is in Alex McKnight’s chest and on cold nights, it is a reminder of a traumatic event that took place. While Paradise is the place that he lives and where the last death took place and it was also on a cold windy night.
There have been hundreds of articles written on Elvis Presley, as he was a prominent figure in the late 20th century; most people know Presley as the man who changed the music industry by introducing lewd or suggestive dance moves to the stage. This article, however, focuses on the southern spirituality of Presley. As mentioned in the seventy-fifth and seventy-sixth page of the journal, this is relatively unexplored territory. The article Just a Little Talk with Jesus by Charles Reagan Wilson derives its name from an old gospel song, also entitled “Just a Little Talk with Jesus.” This article begins with the retelling of the “Million Dollar Session” that occurred in December of 1956 at Sun Studios, the record studio for the now famous Presley. This session was given its name because of the worth of talent that attended; the group in attendance included Presley, Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash. The five musicians played many songs together, including southern religious songs known extremely well by these five men who all came from church backgrounds. Among these southern religious songs was “Just a Little Talk with Jesus” that expounds the gospel and redemption, talking of a person lost in sin that was taken in by Jesus. It is vital to note that Presley’s spirituality was inherited and correlates to regional patterns. His spirituality and music along with the manner in which he fused the two makes Presley an “emblematic figure in southern culture” (pg. 76). For the point of this article, “spirituality” is one’s religious views that are based in one’s religious exercises and practices. The spirituality found in the south in the mid-twentieth century was far more than attending church; it permeated every aspect of souther...
He told us about his training around the world, his 41 years of military service, and how he walked in the footsteps of his forefathers who served in both world wars. In 2007, he spent 6 months training and was deployed in Afghanistan as part of the psychological warfare effort. He also shared stories about how he often had to walk long and exhausting miles in the hot sun, constantly checking his surroundings for threats. After completing service in 2008 and retiring as a Captain, it was difficult for him to readjust into normal life due to the near death incidents he had encountered. Until that point, I was presented with an incomplete portrayal of a soldier’s life rather than the true hardships and
In his poem "All Watched Over By Machines of Loving Grace," published in 1968, Richard Brautigan places the reader in a future realm: a sparkling utopia "where mammals and computers live together in mutually programming harmony" (1). He draws us in by juxtaposing images of nature, man and machine that challenge us to imagine this new world. In essence, Brautigan's poem is a supplication for that dream world, but to the modern reader it can be a land of irony.
In the book When Heaven and Earth Changed Places by Le Ly Hayslip, Le Ly was just one of many peasants trying to survive during war time. Survival meant having to make some hard decisions; decisions that may make peasants go against their roots. However, as we see Le Ly do throughout the book, peasants do not completely abandon their family traditions. Le Ly was very close to her father and kept everything he taught her in mind while she made some difficult choices. "My father taught me to love god, my family, our traditions, and the people we could not see: our ancestors" (ix). With her father's help, she was able to honor her past, provide for her family's needs, and give her son a chance for a better future. If Le Ly was unable to adequately provide for her family, she felt she let her father and ancestors down.
War is seen as a burden regardless of those who choose to participate in action or not. Joseph Heller’s, Catch-22, and Tim O’Brien’s, The Things They Carried, both show two similar experiences of burdens throughout wartime duty and combat. With the power of story telling, both stories lace in loss, love, death and emotional strain which play key factors to the stories. Without hardships and sacrifice, these stories lack emotional depth and moral. Thus, war creates emotional and physical burdens on soldiers in duty.
Who is the birthday party a rite of passage for, the birthday boy or his mother?
Many people learn many things in many different ways. Most learn in school or church, some learn in asking questions, but I believe the best lessons are taught from a good friend. Tuesdays With Morrie is a true story of the remarkable lessons taught by a dying professor, Morrie Schwartz, to his pupil, Mitch Albom. Morrie teaches Mitch the lessons of life, lessons such as death, fear, aging, greed, marriage, family, society, forgiveness, and a meaningful life. This is a story of a special bond of friendship that was lost for many years, but never forgotten and simply picked up again at a crucial time of both Morrie's and Mitch's lives.