Mitch Rapp American Assassin

Lacrosse, although a brutal sport, is not ordinarily associated with an assassin. However, Mitch Rapp, a former lacrosse all-star at Syracuse University, proves to be an extraordinary paradigm. In American Assassin, Vince Flynn depicts the story of an irate Mitch Rapp who is pursuing vengeance for his late girlfriend, Mary. Rapp aims his wrath toward Islamic radicals who shot down a plane that was carrying Mary. Coincidentally, Rapp is recruited to join secret Special Ops forces whose current mission is to eradicate terrorists and their links in the Middle East. Rapp puts forth a meritorious effort in training and proves to be a viable option for the task. Next, Rapp sojourns to Istanbul to jettison his first target, Hamdi Shariff. In contrast

with the original plan of action in which Rapp was to wait for the assistance of senior team members, Rapp causes Shariff’s demise and is retrogressing out of the Middle East within twenty-four hours. Although this fulfills a segment of Rapp’s bucket list, it causes pandemonium at the team’s headquarters. In this journal, there will be the evaluation of Mitch Rapp looking for revenge, Irene Kennedy striving to be respected by all members of the team, and Stan Hurley’s hunt for his new place in the group.

To begin, Mitch Rapp is on a quest to avenge his girlfriend’s death.

Rapp speaks of his anger towards the men who shot down his girlfriend’s plane: “That every single night before he went to sleep he thought of the network of faceless men who had plotted to bring down Pan Am Flight 103, that he saw himself on this very journey…Enemies needed to be killed.” (Flynn 10-11). This quote shows that Mitch Rapp is searching for a way to gain peace within his mind. Rapp is still as agitated as a horse on a stormy night (☺ - simile) over his girlfriend’s death. Although he is not in a melancholy state, he is in an incensed mood that drives him to slaughter. To clarify, he looks to appease his rage by assassinating the men who committed a mass murdering of innocent civilians. Further, while Rapp’s approach may seem shallow, it has a deep seeded motivation. To explain, any person alien to Rapp’s personality will think that Rapp’s girlfriend’s death affected Rapp’s psychology in a way that he now has a mental disorder. However, Rapp’s character is such that he immediately tries to recover from an unsettling event. For example, just one week after his sweetheart’s passing, Mitch impeded his mourning and commenced his hunt for revenge. This shows that Mitch is not one to keep his guard immobile for an extended period of time. He is comfortable solely when he is in control of himself and his actions. Otherwise, Rapp feels exposed to the world, a situation where he could be violated. Additionally, Rapp favors controlling his own destiny, instead of blindly following wherever the world takes him. Indeed, this is rooted in Rapp’s search for peace: he cannot forgo the remainder of his lifetime with the knowledge that he did not endeavor to solve the issue of terroristic attacks against noncombatants. Therefore, Mitch, promptly following his lovers’ loss, joins the Special Ops forces. This allows him to inaugurate his search for peace while also aiding his nation in the fight against

terrorism. Mitch desires for the shooters of Pan Am Flight 103 to undergo the same doom as his former partner. This is the stimulus in his search to achieve peace within himself for his girlfriend’s death.

Subsequently, Irene Kennedy, the woman who recruited Mitch Rapp for the training program, is searching for respect from her team members. Irene questions a male colleague who does not like her method of recruitment: “What have I done to you that has caused you to hold me in such low regard…why do you treat me as if I’m still a teenager?” (Flynn 22). This quote emphasizes that Kennedy is treated as a negligible aspect of the team. Her opinions are not taken into account with a deliberate seriousness. This is partially because she is the only woman in a team full of battle-hardened men. Throughout the world’s history, women have been treated as inferior beings. Even more, women did not have the ability to be permanent military subjects until 1948. Consequently, Kennedy is thought to be inexperienced and is often given a blind eye by the remaining members of the team. Equally important, Kennedy is the youngest Special Ops member. As a result, she is thought to be sophomoric and reckless. Combining all of these factors results in coworkers giving Kennedy a short attention span. In like manner, even sophisticated parties of men treat Irene and her thoughts as trivial. The Deputy Director of Operations acknowledges that he erred by not listening to Kennedy and acknowledges her as an asset: “Looking back on it now, Stansfield could see where the mistakes had been made…Kennedy had repeatedly attempted to nudge him in the right direction. She had the gift—the ability to glimpse where it was all headed” (Flynn 140-141). By analyzing this quote, one observes that because the men did not heed Kennedy’s wisdom, mayhem became imminent. This demonstrates that Kennedy is a sharp individual who knows that her knowledge has the power to wholly influence decisions that the team makes. In other words, she has the acute intelligence of Albert Einstein (☺ - hyperbole) and recognizes it. Accordingly, she puts forth her best effort to make her voice heard, no matter the astronomical number of times she is rejected by her colleagues. Her efforts are collectively a part of her search for the vital part she knows she can contribute to the team. She is progressively acquiring her way into the team’s trust circle, and will continue to prove her worth to her associates. Certainly, Kennedy will gradually showcase that she is a prominent member of the espionage squad.

Lastly, Stan Hurley, a seasoned veteran who trains recruits, searches for a new place within the Orion Team. Thomas Stansfield, Deputy Director of Operations and comrade of Hurley, muses about the effect that age has taken on Hurley: “He knew how to get at the enemy. Engage them, upset them…Tonight, however, Stansfield was having his doubts. Budapest had been a long time ago” (Flynn 139). According to this quote, Stansfield believes that Hurley has lost his edge to the younger trainees that have stumbled upon the Orion Team. Hurley, in his prime, was analogous to James Bond. However, as Hurley’s age began to ascend into senior digits, his physical abilities dwindled. Truly, his wisdom continues to expand, but fresh recruits trump his fighting talents. Appropriately, Hurley begins to contemplate his position in the team. He realizes that if he is not able to yield productive results, he will be compelled to retire. This is on the polar opposite end of Hurley’s bucket list as he is a passionate man who relishes his adventurous job. Therefore, Hurley must inaugurate his search for a position better suited for his physique. One prospect is a desk job. However, Hurley would reject a job involving deskwork just as forcefully as two north poles reject each other. On the contrary, Hurley takes to fieldwork as a sailor takes to fish and chips. Hence, Hurley reasons that he will ensure his finest work by becoming a succor to the new recruits during missions instead of acting as a central leader committing assassinations. Stan Hurley, a proud and stubborn trouper, makes the charitable-to-all-decision to change his role in the Orion Team.

Finally, American Assassin engenders the searches of Mitch Rapp’s revenge, Irene Kennedy’s optimisms for gaining respect, and. Mitch Rapp is set on obtaining peace with himself through the killings of Islamic radicals. This is true because Rapp eagerly agreed to join the Special Ops forces. Additionally, Kennedy desires to be esteemed by all of her colleagues. She ventures to gain respect by impressing her team members through her thorough work. Ultimately, Stan Hurley receives the cue from his companions and changes his role in the Orion Team. American Assassin is a novel containing searches that show the aptitude and determination of its characters, especially those that play lacrosse (☺ - full circle ending).