The Meaning Of Death In Edgar Allan Poe's Ghosts Of War

Bertrand Russell once said, “War does not determine who is right - only who is left”. In the story Ghosts of War, a young man named Ryan Smithson, inspired by the events of 9/11, joins the army in order to fight back. Throughout his year in combat, the experiences and adventures he faces changes him forever. During his tour, he witnesses the suffering of his brothers and the innocent people of Iraq. He tells stories of death and destruction, and deals with his haunted past through writing, saying that literature is “words that have the power to heal”. Ghosts of War is an emotional roller coaster that dives into the fight against not just the demons among men, but also the demons inside men as well. First of all, people all over the world

Edgar Allan Poe once wrote a poem called “The Raven”, which delves into the effects of death on the living. It is about a lonely man dealing with the loss of his lover, Lenore, who is visited by a raven in the middle of the night. The man starts asking the raven questions, to which the only reply is “nevermore”. Poe writes in his poem, “Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn, / It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore / Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore.’/ Quoth the Raven ‘Nevermore’” (93-96). The quote shows that you only get one shot a life, and that the people around you suffer the most when you die. The raven is saying the man will not see his loved one in “paradise”, and further depresses the man when he realizes he will never see her again, in this life or the next. This is similar to Ryan’s thoughts about losing his comrades. When Ryan hears of a fellow soldier’s death, he tries to remember a time when they were getting along, but he can’t even remember his face or the sound of his voice. After the soldier’s funeral, Ryan says, “I hardly knew Jim Conklin. I worked with him,... but I don’t really remember him. I am ashamed, and this is why I hold back tears. I feel like crying, but I feel like it’s not my place to cry” (219). Through this quote, Ryan shows that death can directly affect

After his year-long tour, as he’s trying to settle back in to the normal life, he has a night terror. As he tries to go back to sleep, he thinks, “I’m not tired at all. My mind races. That four-letter fucking acronym. PTSD… This feeling of terror; it’s so genuine, like a sixth sense, and no amount of logic can help me escape from it” (286). Everyone has at least one inner struggle that they have to deal with. It could be a religious, moral, or emotional struggle. People all over the world have to deal with difficult decisions and unfair situations. It’s impossible to run from those problems, and they become immensely easier to deal with with the help of others. Ryan dealt with his problem by talking to his English teacher, and used literature as his therapy. In conclusion, Ghosts of War is a unforgettable novel that builds on multiple important values. The author shows how everyone is going through a struggle by showing various examples of a “regular Joe” getting through his life. He deals with an external conflict, the terrorists, all while battling his inner demons. He learns to cope with loss and to deal with the terrors that visit him at night. With his novel, Ryan proves the values of tragedy, internal struggles, and external struggles are all timeless