In the documentary, Alive Day Memories James Gandolfini interviews injured war veterans from their time in Iraq. The soldiers that stood out to me were, Jay Wilkerson and Bryan Anderson. All the soldiers had different views on what they thought their Alive day represented. Some would celebrate the day and some thought of it as the worst day of their life.
Jay Wilkerson served in the army when a bomb went off near him. He was in a coma for 12 days and suffers from a brain injury and memory loss. The camera only showed one side of his face in the beginning, as he started talking about his injury it began to show the injured side of his head. Since he struggled with memory loss a lot of the emotions I felt from him was worry. He couldn't remember his kids names and didn't know who to ask. He explained that it made him feel stupid.
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Bryan Anderson also served in the army.
He was driving in Iraq when the bomb went off. His legs and left hand are gone. He spent 13 months in the hospital and had 40 operations. Bryan does not like to celebrate his Alive day because he thinks of it as the worst day of his life and he doesn't want to be reminded of that every year. . When he first starts talking the camera is zoomed into his face and upper body so he didn't seem injured at all. The he discussed his injury and it showed his fake hand and that he had no legs. When he talked about what had happened he seemed shocked. He mentioned that if he lost both of his hands he said it wouldn't be worth it. His one hand gives him hope to live his life. He expresses that he believes that his hand will heal and he could be able to feel again. His tone of voice is very positive, he looks on the bright side. Bryan says, “I can still pick up a fork and feed myself” (Anderson). He talks about the daily task he can do and not what he can't
do. Jake Powell talked to the class about when he was injured while serving. He has a Brain injury and suffers from memory loss, ptsd. He explained how it was hard for him to focus in class and he enjoys drawing. Listening to him speak changed my views on disabilities because when I think about a disabled person, someone who is physically disabled comes to my mind versus someone who is mentally disabled. I also never thought of PTSD and a disability. It opened my eyes to all of my family and friends who have or are serving in the military that they need to be supported when the come home because you can never unsee the stuff you have experienced in war. He explained how the transition back into a civilian life is very extreme. There is not much help centers close by. He explains that all of his friends call him regularly and talk to him about problems they are struggling with. To conclude, war veterans can struggle with multiple disabilities and everyone copes with them in a different way. Some people look at the positive way of their disability and some people see the negative.
The parents’ dilemma, the visuals of their anxiety and fears were captured very clearly in this clip. The stills of Michael connected to the breathing tubes, having his head prepped for surgery etc., visually evoked the magnitude of what the parents and the Michael had to go through. However, the recovery and progress was an awesome success story filled with all the elements of an inspirational narrative that not only inspired but educated as
In Alex Horton’s essay, “Ides of March,” which he posted on his personal blog, “Army of Dude”, on March 20, 2011, he tells us a little about his platoon, Battle Company, Second Platoon. In this reflective essay he tells us how they have disbanded – and he tells us about the platoon’s losing one of its own, Brian Chevalier, who was a “driver for first squad.” Chevy was blown “out of the Stryker” he was driving, apparently being killed instantly. He talked about how it happened so suddenly, like an announcement when a family member passed away. In this essay Horton remembers Chevy, sharing stories and memories from other men in their platoon. The reason on why Horton wrote this essay because on an emotional state about what he felt about when
When Paul was in the war he and his Friend Kat ran into a recruit that had been shot and they were debating whether or not to put him out of his misery. "We'll be back again soon," says Kat, "We are only going to get a stretcher for you."We don't know if he understands. He whimpers like a child and plucks at us: "Don't go away--” Kat looks around and whispers: "Shouldn't we just take a revolver and put an end to it?" (Page 34). In the movie Gallipoli, the main character Archy was a runner and he had no idea what he had gotten himself into. But when it was his time to cross the front line he had hesitation and did what he had signed up for. In the poem In Flanders Field it makes you feel sad for all the lives that had been lost. “Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields.” this gives you a feeling of sadness for all the people who died and their families that they will never see
A time to remember those who died, those who served, and those who carry on.” ~Unknown. Servicemen make sacrifices daily. During 9/11, the Manhattan firefighters were responding to a gas leak when they heard the explosion from one of the twin towers. Policemen and firefighters from all around New York and surrounding areas came to help rescue the victims. They searched through rubbish and raced with time to check the buildings before and after the buildings collapsed. There were clouds of smoke, dust, and debris flying through the streets; blinding the bystanders. Hundreds of servicemen died that day, including military personnel in the Pentagon who were also hit by the hijackers. I had a cousin named Johnnie Doctor Jr who was in the Navy. He was killed in the Pentagon. I never got to know him, but from what I heard he was a great person to be
...he prolonging sleep, to find himself at the hospital. As he struggles to wake up, he realizes that his left leg has been amputated:
day, as well as the irony and hypocracy, that was especially evident on that day. He
Michael Moore uses pathos to arouse emotions and persuade the audience to agree with his perspective on America’s health care system. Throughout his film, he includes interviews of those who have lost their loves ones due to their problems with their insurance company in the United States. The most unforgettable and affective interview was the one with Dawnelle Keys. When her two-year-old daughter, Mychelle, developed a fever of over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, her healthcare company, Kaiser, claimed to support Mychelle only at its in-network hospital. Thus, after hours of delay, she got transported to Kaiser’s hospital, but unfortunately got into cardiac arrest and pronounced dead upon arrival. Thinking back to this incident, a great pain wails upon Dawnelle in her interview, and streams of tears roll down her cheeks. This heartbreaking scene makes the audience feel attached to and have great sympathy ...
Jack Prelutsky grew up in Brooklyn, New York, in 1940. He lived in a fairly underprivileged part of town with his mother and father, who were both big influences on his work. Although he says his parents had a normal sense of humor, Jack’s has far surpassed theirs and Jack now writes wacky poems that delight children and adults of all ages.
I chose the easy route of interview my grandpa (Dean Randel) who served in World War II as flight deck operator that signaled the aircrafts and got them ready for flight. He was station in San Diego on the USS Wisconsin which was of course a aircraft carrier. As I grew up he always told me stories of the good times he had with buddies and just living the good life. This is a first for me to sit down one on one with him and hear about what went on. Before I could even get a word in my grandpa ask me, “Do you know how Veterans Day was brought about?” I was so shock he was into doing this that I just shut my mouth and listened. He continued by saying in 1921, an American soldier -his name "known but to God "-was buried on a Virginia hillside overlooking the Potomac River and the city of Washington, DC. The burial site of this unknown World War I soldier in Arlington National Cemetery symbolized dignity and pride for all American veterans. Similar ceremonies occurred earlier in England and France, where an "unknown soldier” was buried in each nation’s highest place of honor (I later researched and found out it was in England, Westminster Abbey; in France, the Arc de Triomphe). These memorial gestures all took place on November 11, giving universal recognition to the celebrated ending of World War I hostilities at 11 a.m., November 11, 1918 (the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month). The day became known as "Armistice Day.”Armistice Day of...
Born on the Fourth of July is a film starring Tom Cruise who plays the role of Ron Kovic, a Vietnam War Veteran that deals with the repeated taunting of his deployment overseas and the aftermath associated with his decision to join in the war. He was injured and paralyzed on his tour and has to constantly cope with the flashbacks to his experience of killing innocent civilians while in the war setting. Throughout the film you see how a boy from a Massapequa, NY grows up and becomes a Marine in a time where people either seemingly supported the war or downright disagreed with it. With Kovic as the director, the viewer can really understand how he...
Veteran’s day is a reflection of the peace and the warrior culture in the United States. While peace cultures strive for tolerance and positive peace, warrior cultures focus on aggression and domination and this Day demonstrates how both cultures are engrained in the American society.
Coming over from Taiwan nearly six years ago, the freedom of the American society still dazzles me. The extensive freedom of the U.S. citizens is a result of those American soldiers who fought bravely during wars to “insure domestic tranquility and provide for the common defense” (Constitution 1) of the United States. I want to honor and thank the soldiers, especially those who unfortunately will never be identified by family members.
...ficance is that they accurately portray the desensitization to life that is experienced by soldiers.
...these people had was heart-shattering. Children in some cases were alone and did not know what to do without their family. Dying to save the lives of others could have been the best thing you would have done for yourself and these people; someone could of been in this situation and would of been that wonderful hero.
When Dr Craig Jurisevic next went to Israel, he was looking for experience in trauma surgery. When raising his hand to the challenge of retrieving wounded Israelis and Palestinians, he had no idea that training for this would include how to not get shot and protection of patients. Scenes of thousands of refugees crossing the border reminded Dr Jurisevic of World War II, of the Holocaust.