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Three day road analysis essay
Three day road joseph boyden essay
Three day road analysis essay
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G.K.Chesterton once quoted, “The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.” The novel Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden, recounts the struggles of a Canadian soldier through his tedious and terrible experiences fighting for his country against the Germans. Throughout the novel, the protagonist was disgusted by the blood and trauma war brings, however, he knew that it was imperative to kill, or else he would not have survived. In war, it is kill or be killed, someone who is wise will kill to survive and protect his country, as well as avenge his family or comrades.
Provided that everyone has the right to live their own lives, during a war, all of those rights are violated. Either party will kill to assure their survival. Furthermore, in Three Day Road, if the protagonist did not commit murder, but rather avoided war entirely, he probably wouldn’t have survived. On page 69 of Three Day Road, it states “I replay it over and over in my head so that I don’t sleep all night, pulling the pin on my mills bomb, throwing it and watching it arc until it disappears into the crater, the concussion and screams.” Xavier in this quote is shown punishing himself
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What would it feel like if one lost his entire family and childhood. The feeling that you never even knew your parents well. Additionally, there will be a certain degree of anger and hatred burning against the country that ruined their lives. No doubt that one day, when the child or adolescent becomes an adult, those people will have their revenge. At first, it was obvious that Xavier and Elijah fought out of fear, due to both of them being an independant race and not knowing much about what was going on. However, further through the novel, they both prove they were excellent snipers. On page 102 of Three Day Road, Sean Patrick, a captain, had died and Xavier and Elijah revenged his death by killing the German Sniper that killed
“ SOmetimes it’s the smallest decisions that can change your life forever.” Keri Russell. In the novel “ The Wednesday Wars” by Gary D Schmidt Hollings father decides that his sister is not going to college. Although Mr.Hoodhood has said no Heather can still make her own decisions according to what she wants in her life, so that she makes the results of her life and changes what she wants to change. In this situation heather has been beaten, but I think that Mr.hoodhood is wrong because you should go to college no matter how old you are. Just because your parent says you can’t do something doesn’t mean you can’t do it as an adult.
War as seen through the eyes of Ambrose Bierce in An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge depicts it as truly gritty. The author successfully sends a message of how death is a part of war, and it is not as noble or glorious as one would think it is. Due to popular media, we have this attitude that the protagonist is going to go down in a blaze of glory, and while it may be true for some, it is not like that for everyone. War is rough, dark, and gritty but no one ever wants to talk about those parts of war because it would ruin the fantasy of it.
It is apparent that the topic of war is difficult to discuss among active duty soldiers and civilians. Often times, citizens are unable to understand the mental, physical, and physiological burden service members experience. In Phil Klay’s Ten Kliks South, the narrator struggles to cope with the idea that his artillery team has killed enemy forces. In the early stages of the story, the narrator is clearly confused. He understands that he did his part in firing off the artillery rounds, yet he cannot admit to killing the opposition. In order to suppress his guilt and uncertainty, our narrator searches for guidance and reassurance of his actions. He meets with an old gunnery sergeant and during their conversation, our narrator’s innocence
In the novella of The Crucible by Arthur Miller vengeance is walking Salem in causing several conflicts throughout the Salem village. Many of the conflicts are due with getting back at one another with the need for revenge. “We are what we always were in Salem, but now the little crazy children are jangling keys of the kingdom, and common vengeance writes the law!” (Miller 81). This quote is trying to prove the point the proctor has a very good understanding of what is happening in how the little girls are rebelling and acting out. They are accusing several women of being witches. “Why, Abigail Williams charge her” (Miller 77). The quote is trying to show how many of the girls are calling out the wives in the Salem village.
While Joseph Boyden 's Three Day Road is an exploration of the horrors of the Great War, it is as much a tale of homeland horrors. The stories Niska tells Xavier point to the devastation wrought by residential schools, racially motivated sexual violence, and government-sanctioned genocide all underscore historical violence. The bridge which Boyden uses to compare the violence of the homeland and that with the Great War is the figure of the windigo, a cannibalistic monster which roams both the frigid bush (44) as well as the devastated, crater-filled warzone of France (349). The novel’s emphasis on precognition, the genealogical destiny of windigo-killers, and the metaphoric nature of the Windigo enforces Niska 's explanation to Xavier that
Three-Day Road explores the story of two young Cree men, Xavier and Elijah, as their journey together tests their friendship, identity and numerous challenges that they face. World War one has come to an end, as soldiers return home, badly wounded and scarred. The aunt of Xavier, his only family, patiently waits for her nephew’s arrival, whom she had last seen as a young boy. She is shocked to find him lose a leg, addicted to morphine, and troubled by the nightmares of the war, mostly in the brink of death. As they paddle their way back home, in the three-day journey, both Niska and Xavier share untold experiences of their pasts. As Xavier shares his life in the war, while Niska hopes to heal him with her stories of the past, and try to rekindle the lost relationship between the both.
Similarly, Xavier and Elijah from Three Day Road go through a path of losing love and friends eventually turning to enemies. To begin, Xavier and Elijah war quickly noticed by other comrades because of their hunting skills. Xavier and Elijah grew up with a native background where Xavier doesn’t see killing as an ordinary thing to do. This is seen when Xavier is being shot at for the first time. He witnesses how close it was for him to be killed, responding, “The other side wants to kill me, and I’ve never even seen their faces” (Boyden, 33). Much like Paul, Xavier share many similarities to show guilt, shame and innocence. Xavier as well as Paul, thinking for all his comrades and there service for the war. Showing how his culture has taught and raised him to do so. War gives soldiers the main purpose to kill, while for Paul and Xavier killing a human is not morally wrong. In addition, Paul, like Xavier haves regret and shame for all the comrades and enemies that they have lost. This causes them to go into a state of anger and guilt which they cannot control. This is seen after Xavier cannot think straight after destroying a base along with enemies, Xavier proclaims, “I replay it over and over in my head so that I don’t sleep all night, pulling the pin on my mill bomb, throwing it and watching it arc until it disappears into the crater, the concussion and screams. I have killed someone now” (Boyden, 75). Images of horror replay in Xavier head after he kills a group of men. It is shown that Xavier is attached emotionally to his victims. While most soldiers are alone and cannot express their feelings, this leaves these thoughts as a burden which can lead to insanity. However, Xavier finds love during the war which gave him hope again...
Media makes celebrities seem as if they live life facing no problems or hardships. In reality, they do not live a perfect life, but that characteristic of celebrities' life tends to go unseen. In Charles Dickens’s, A Tale of Two Cities, Dickens develops Mr. Lorry into a character where business engulfes his life. Mr. Lorry continually tries to suppress his emotions using many different strategies. Even though business is always Mr. Lorry’s top priority, he always has a special place in his heart for the people he cares about, the Manette’s. Through the use of characterization and dialogue, Charles Dickens uses Mr. Lorry to promote how humanity overrides one’s business side no matter how hard they try to suppress it.
It is inevitable when dealing regularly with a subject as brutal as war, that death will occur. Death brings grief for the victim’s loved ones, which William Faulkner depicts accurately and fairly in many of his works, including the short story “Shall Not Perish” and The Unvanquished. While the works differ because of the time (The Unvanquished deals with the Civil War while “Shall Not Perish” takes place during World War II) and the loved ones grieving (The Unvanquished shows the grief of a lover and “Shall Not Perish” shows the grief of families), the pain they all feel is the same.
According to Joseph Boyden, "They lived in the mud like rats and lived only to think of new ways to kill one another. No one is safe in such times, not even the Cree of Mushkegowuk. War touches everyone, and windigos spring from the earth"(49). For those who think that joining a war is an opportunity for adventure and excitement, they are wrong. In reality, it is the opposite with life and death on the line due to unnecessary slaughter between human beings because they cannot solve their own conflicts. This devastating topic is told by Joseph Boyden’s novel "Three Day Road" by two different protagonists sharing their own adventures and their conflicts. The protagonist Xavier and antagonist Elijah experience bloody warfare ability to cause havoc. They begin to understand that bloody warfare can make them physically and mentally draining over time because how it changes a person personality making them corrupt with intent to become a windigo themselves like Elijah did, striving to kill another human being as their only goal for survival. As humans, Joseph Boyden is reflecting that if the readers were Xavier or Elijah themselves place in that unstable environment filled with diseases and distraught. We would experience the same kind of suffering Elijah and Xavier had to go through.
Clashing swords, miraculous survivals, pain of loss, and heroic sacrifice are all terrifying yet thrilling moments in a battle. The strong possibility of death and the frailty of human life add into the suspense of battle. Yet the reasons behind the wars, death, and suspense can be overlooked. The stories behind the warriors who have died will not be told again, but the stories of warriors still alive are what give the men strength to continue fighting against impossible odds. Ultimately, the reason of why a man would risk his life in battle is for someone, or something, he loves.
Have you ever thought about what it was like to live during World War 1, or what it was like to fight at war? At first glance of any war piece, you might think the author would try to portray the soldiers as mentally tough and have a smashing conscience. Many would think that fighting in a war shows how devoted you are to your country, however, that is not true. According to All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque, the reality of a soldier's life is despondency, carnage and eradication at every bombardment. Living every day is not knowing if they will eat, see their families, or even if they will awaken the next day. Demeaning themselves from heroes to barely men without their military garment or identity. Remarque conveyed how
Life can bring unexpected events that individuals might not be prepared to confront. This was the case of O’Brien in the story, “On the Rainy River” from the book The Things They Carried. As an author and character O’Brien describes his experiences about the Vietnam War. In the story, he faces the conflict of whether he should or should not go to war after being drafted. He could not imagine how tough fighting must be, without knowing how to fight, and the reason for such a war. In addition, O’Brien is terrified of the idea of leaving his family, friends and everything he loves behind. He decides to run away from his responsibility with the society. However, a feeling of shame and embarrassment makes him go to war. O’Brien considers himself a coward for doing something he does not agree with; on the other hand, thinking about the outcome of his decision makes him a brave man. Therefore, an individual that considers the consequences of his acts is nobler than a war hero.
War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning, written by the talented author Chris Hedges, gives us provoking thoughts that are somewhat painful to read but at the same time are quite personal confessions. Chris Hedges, a talented journalist to say the least, brings nearly 15 years of being a foreign correspondent to this book and subjectively concludes how all of his world experiences tie together. Throughout his book, he unifies themes present in all wars he experienced first hand. The most important themes I was able to draw from this book were, war skews reality, dominates culture, seduces society with its heroic attributes, distorts memory, and supports a cause, and allures us by a constant battle between death and love.
This quote discusses one of my major beliefs which is the fact that everyone has to deal with both external conflict and internal conflict. Although this quote is talking about war, it symbolizes a greater meaning of the struggles of life. Xavier is struggling with the aspect of the war that requires him to kill other men in order to survive. He is dealing with the guilt that follows murder, but he also recognizes it is necessary. In the real world, every person struggles with internal doubts, feelings of sadness, and worry. These are usually a result of external conflict and events that are occurring in a person’s life. I believe that everyone is struggling, to a certain degree, with both internal and external conflicts. These conflicts work together, if a person struggles internally, they will have more external conflicts, and vice versa. The less internal and external conflict that a person has, the more peaceful and joyful their life will be. I chose this quote because the idea of suffering internally due to external conflicts is something that I can relate to on a very personal level. When I first read