Society depends on these soldiers to be brave and courageous and they feel an unspoken duty to protect and serve their country. This pressure can sometimes take an emotional toll on them. When O’brien got the call to be in the military, he took the offer only to protect his reputation, not to serve the country. As the reputations of soldiers are said to be strong and brave, some of them do not live up to that standard because “they carried the soldier’s greatest fear, which was the fear of blushing. Men killed, and died, because they were embarrassed not to” (O’brien 20). Society depends on veterans to protect them, and they feel a special duty to serve their country. They sacrifice their lives in war in order to prove their worthiness in battle …show more content…
Soldiers sacrifice a lot to go to war, and it is even more difficult when it seems that they do not have a choice. Trying to make the decision whether to go to war or stay home, he felt the immense pressure from the people around him because “all those eyes on [him]-the town, the whole universe-and [he] couldn’t risk the embarrassment … that swirl of faces along the river, and in [his] head [he] could hear people screaming at [him]” (O’brien 57). When people are watching someone make a big decision, the pressure becomes even more extreme and his decision becomes altered by the minds of those watching. He is almost “forced” to go to war, in order to prevent self-embarrassment which does not promote a healthy mindset. Soldiers are being put to their misery everyday in order to prevent being ashamed from society. Following in his father’s footsteps, O’brien looks up to his veteran history because “the ribbons looked good on the uniform in his closet, and if his father were to ask, he would've explained what each signified and how he was proud of all of them ... because it meant he had been there as a real soldier and had done all the things soldiers do, and therefore it wasn't such a big deal that he could not bring himself to be uncommonly brave” (O’brien
This idea and the drafted make decide to run away from his responsibility and from his society. However, the feeling of shame embarrassed and bring crowed in the eyes of his family and friends make him go to war.
They carried their reputations. They carried the soldier’s greatest fear, which was the fear of blushing. Men killed, and died, because they were embarrassed not to. It was what had brought them to the war in the first place, nothing positive, no dreams of glory and dishonor, just to avoid the blush of dishonor (O’Brien P. 369).
The Civil War, World War I, the Vietnam War, World War II, and the conflict in the Middle East are all wars that have been fought over the difference of opinions, yet come at the cost of the soldier 's fighting them; Humans killing other humans, and death is just one of the many emotional scars soldiers of war face. Why do we go to war when this is the cost? For many it is because they are unaware of the psychological cost of war, they are only aware of the monetary cost or the personal gains they get from war. Tim O 'Brien addresses the true cost of war in "The Things They Carried". O 'Brien suggests that psychological trauma caused by war warps the perception of life in young Americans drafted into the Vietnam War. He does this through Lieutenant
When you look into veterans eyes, you can see several things that are important. The pride shines through, the pride of serving ones country, and the dedication to protect other peoples freedom even it if requires paying the ultimate price. These men and women give their lives to give us our freedom. As a one of the many individuals that they are protecting it is vital that we see that pride and appreciate where it comes from.
Soldiers like O’Brien were drafted to go to war and they were obligated to go to war for fear of embarrassment and guilt they would bring to their family and town if they decided to run away from the draft. O’Brien realizes that going to Canada was a pitiful fantasy silly and hopeless. O’Brien mentions that “He understands that he would not do what he should do he would not swim away from his country” (page 55). O’Brien illustrates that he has some visions of his family, wife, daughter, friends and people from his town calling him a traitor! Turncoat! Pussy!, when he tries to step out of the boat (page 57). Tim O’Brien mentions that he couldn’t tolerate it, he couldn’t endure the mockery, or the disgrace or the patriotic ridicule he also mentions that he couldn’t be brave enough to jump (page 57). The vision personifies his shame, his inability to withstand what others will think of him, and the responsibility to meet social obligations. The power of his imagination, shame, and embarrassment made him belief that the right decision is to go to war. It convinced him that it was worth dying to not be seen as a coward, to avoid shame. Tim O’Brien states “I would go to the war- I would kill and maybe die¬-because I was embarrassed not to” (page 57). O'Brien's decision is not rooted in what he believes is the "right" thing to do, but the thing society wants him to do and his
After an event of large magnitude, it still began to take its toll on the protagonist as they often “carried all the emotional baggage of men who might die” during the war (O’Brien 1187). The travesties that occurred with the brutality of war did not subside and began to affect those involved in a deeply emotional way. The multitude of disastrous happenings influenced the narrator to develop a psychological handicap to death by being “afraid of dying” although being “even more afraid to show it” (O’Brien 1187). The burden caused by the war creates fear inside the protagonist’s mind, yet if he were to display his sense of distress it would cause a deeper fear for those around him, thus making the thought of exposing the fear even more frightening. The emotional battle taking place in the psyche of the narrator is directly repressed by the war.
...earns huge amounts of respect from people. The government doesn’t provide much aid for military veterans, but the respect one gets is amazing. Many people in America send money, cloths, and letters to our troops overseas in in other countries. Plus, when they get released from the military, as long as they aren’t diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, they can get a job right away and can even start a family.
The purpose of Veterans Day is to honor veterans who have served and sacrificed for our nation. Nevertheless, nobody knows what veterans do or how they feel after separating from the military.
America’s veterans should be honored because they have suffered through so many hardships that others could not and have not survived, and they did it for their country that they loved and still love today.
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...
Veterans day means a day for us to thank the ones who have served in the military and war. Sacrificing every moment of their lives to defend our country. The Veterans have a significant importance everywhere. Whatever the reason is for them serving our country we should appreciate them for all their work. Veterans day was created because World War I ended . Fighting and wars did not end and are still going on and there are still Veterans out here today. Veterans day is a day to celebrate ones who were in war. Not to be confused with Memorial day , memorial day is when we celebrate the ones who died serving. People today in our society don’t take in consider the ones protecting us every single day. Who do you think fights for us and our country.
Overall, the author showed us the courageous and coward s acts of O’Brien the character. The fact that he was a coward made him do a heroic act. O’Brien made the valiant decision to go to war. It would have been easier and cowardly to jump and swim away from all his fears. However he decided to turn back, and fight for something he did not believe in. Thinking about the consequences of running away makes him a hero. He went to war not because he wanted to fight for his country, but for his own freedom. Either choice he could have made would take some kind of courage to carry out. Going to war required some sort of fearlessness. In other words, running away from the law would have been brave; but going to war was even tougher.
What is the role of shame in the lives of these soldiers? Does it drive them to acts of heroism or stupidity? Or both? What is the relationship between shame and courage, according to O’Brien?
Veterans are a hearty lot. They serve and sacrifice, and having the honor of wearing the uniform is enough thanks for most of them.
Finally, Tim O’Brien conveys how society’s view on courage plays an important part in the creation of guilt for soldiers in the Vietnam War. At the start of “On the Rainy River”, Tim O’Brien is drafted to be in the Vietnam War against his will. O’Brien says, “I was drafted to fight a war I hated...the American War in Vietnam seemed to me wrong.,” (40). However, regardless if one was against the war, they were forced to anyway. In adhesion, society developed one stance on the war pertaining to courage, which is that the man needs to do the bravest thing, which was to go to war and fight. Although this also ties with the theme of masculinity with men being tough, it more importantly exemplifies courage in going to risk your life for the good of the country.