Marcus Luttrell’s novel Lone Survivor revolves around a group of Navy SEALs, who have to adapt to reoccurring situations of uncertainty, while battling a group of Taliban attackers, in their native land of Afghanistan. This novel stands for how faith in God can help us survive extreme moments of adversity, especially when surrounded by externalities and unknown unknowns. Lone Survivor relates well to Charles Kegley and some main points he hits on in the textbook. First, Luttrell faces an ecological fallacy when he is confronted by Sarawa along with some of his fellow Pashtun villagers. However, after just surviving an attack by Taliban soldiers, Luttrell assumes that these men had heard the gunfire and were here to end Luttrell’s life, and as Marcus was getting ready to fight the men let him know …show more content…
that they are not Taliban. Instead, these Pashtun men are here to help Marcus Luttrell and bless him with “lokhay warkawal” meaning they will protect him at all costs, even if it means losing their own lives. Luttrell assumed that because Sarawa and his friends dressed a certain way, carried AK-47s and lived in Afghanistan that they were Taliban fighters trying to kill him, but this ecological fallacy proved to be wrong, for in the end they saved Marcus’ life more than one time. Along with a mention of an ecological fallacy, Luttrell relates to Kegley as his story of fighting in the mountain is a prime example Asymmetric warfare, a point Kegley has a strong emphasis in his textbook. The Taliban want to exorcise their influence throughout Afghanistan, as well as the entire Middle East in their efforts to become recognized as a world power. On a small scale, we see four Navy SEALs able to wipe out the majority of a 200-man Taliban army, while only losing three men and the lone survivor – Marcus Luttrell – able to kill a dozen or so more before making his way to safety. We see the United States army flex their muscles with an airstrike as Luttrell is rescued, able to kill over 30 Taliban fighters with a single air strike. Also, tying in with asymmetric warfare and ecological fallacy, there are known unknowns and unknown unknowns through Lone Survivor, which relate back to the novel Black Swan written by Nassim Taleb.
When initially dropped in the Afghan mountains, the members of Operation Redwing know that Taliban surrounds them, but they do not know where they are, how many there are, and if they know they of their presence. This is an example of a known unknown – an externality – which presents the team with a formidable challenge. Luttrell also comes across two black swans throughout his novel, the first being his encounter with the three goatherds. Luttrell and his group did not expect anyone to come upon their hiding spot on the mountain, and their decision to let them resulted in the team being ambushed and the loss of three lives. Later, though, Luttrell gets a positive Black Swan, for Sarawa turns out to be his rescuer and aids him back to semi-health and helps protect him from the Taliban, as well as granting him protection from his village. These three examples tie Lone Survivor back with our International Relations class and helps us see real life examples of each in
action. The novel Lone Survivor itself was scattered with many life lessons from a Navy SEAL himself, which can be applied to every day life. First, Luttrell discusses the struggles of having to deal with “Hell Week” and being pushed to the limits by Instructor Reno. With an emphasis on psychological fortitude and living in the moment, Luttrell goes in depth about serious matters that can help anyone in their day-to-day life. In addition, Luttrell makes sure to get across the faith aspect of the military lifestyle, as he notes that without the prayers of other and his own personal faith he would not have made it out of Afghanistan alive. Through the book he references Psalm 23, the bible verse of the SEALs as well as Alexander Dumas’ novel The Count of Monte Cristo. The line “God will give me justice” which Luttrell engraves in the cave he hides in encompasses his faith for even in his darkest moments Marcus has God on his mind. Lastly, there can be comparisons drawn between Marcus Luttrell and Sergeant Major Sidwell, both of whom have a negative perception of the liberal media after serving their time. Major Sidwell, because they made it seem like his service in Vietnam was for nothing and he was a detriment to the nation, and for Luttrell that if the media was not so critical of soldiers, he believes all four members of his team would still be alive today. All in all, Lone Survivor covers many issues that we have addressed as a class in Charles Kegley’s textbook, as well as many news sources. His emphasis on having faith in God during times of adversity and other life lessons he teaches throughout his novel can be put into action in any readers life, and I believe this book tied in well with how to deal with International Relations.
I think everyone has wanted to be a Navy SEAL in one point of their life, but as they get older their dream of being the best of the best fades away. Marcus Luttrell has had that dream of being a SEAL since the age of seven, and his determination and will to survive the hardest training in military history, gave Luttrell the title of a Navy SEAL.
Laura Hillenbrand’s novel Unbroken incorporates the improbable life of the main character, Louie Zamperini. She introduces both the inspiring and powerful journey that Louie encounters in his life as he grows up. Hillenbrand looks to and successfully does catch the versatility of the human soul. Zamperini’s story including his involvement in World War II gives a persuasive stage in which the author demonstrates numerous qualities of Louie. Leaving readers to appreciate his courage, quality, grit and above all else, his bravery. “Confident that he was clever resourceful, and bold enough to escape any predicament, [Louie] was almost incapable of discouragement. When history carried him into war, this resilient optimism would define him.” Louie
The book Outlaw Platoon written by Sean Parnell is a soldiers’ tale of his platoon in one of the most dangerous places on earth. This book is a non-fiction riveting work that tells the story of a platoon that spent sixteen months on an operating base in the Bermel Valley, the border of Pakistan. This mission the men were sent on was part of a mission called Operation Enduring Freedom. This book is extremely relevant to the war that we are still fighting in Afghanistan and the humanitarian work that continues. We still have men in this area fighting and losing their lives everyday. It is the focus of ongoing political debates and the purpose of our involvement there is an ongoing question in the minds of many Americans. In writing this book, Parnell makes it clear in his author’s notes that he indeed was not trying to pursue one political agenda over another. His goal as not to speak of all members of the platoon and expose their identities and the types of soldiers they were but instead to showcase some of the men’s bravery and abilities during the war. Parnell believed that he owed it to the men to write something that would show the world what these men go through during combat in an honest and raw account. Another purpose of Parnell’s in writing this book is an attempt at making sure these men are given a place in American war history.
The author uses many way of telling the story buy enhancing the reader understanding in rregrades to the point of view of the story line. The author, Jon Krakauer expresses and explains this stroy in many unique ways throughout the entire book using other authors quotes to tie in with his story, the constant change in the setting, and references the creates a unique structure to the book.
In the novel Unbroken, Laura Hillenbrand uses both internal and external conflict to show the theme people can stand up against enemies even when the odds seemed stacked up against them. Whether it be simply defending himself or lying, Louie found a way to get through prison camp alive. After the war, this left him leaving the camp feeling euphoric. Louie’s experiences really show that no matter what situation someone is in, they can stand
In the aftermath of a comparatively minor misfortune, all parties concerned seem to be eager to direct the blame to someone or something else. It seems so easy to pin down one specific mistake that caused everything else to go wrong in an everyday situation. However, war is a vastly different story. War is ambiguous, an enormous and intangible event, and it cannot simply be blamed for the resulting deaths for which it is indirectly responsible. Tim O’Brien’s story, “In the Field,” illustrates whom the soldiers turn to with the massive burden of responsibility for a tragedy. The horrible circumstances of war transform all involved and tinge them with an absurd feeling of personal responsibility as they struggle to cope.
I enjoyed reading Unbroken which is a book that showed the struggles of a grueling air warfare between United States and Japan. Throughout the book, Laura Hillenbrand, author of Unbroken gripped the reader’s attention through the details of gut-wrenching conflicts. By showing the art of survival through the character, Louis Zamperini, Hillenbrand demonstrates the theme of resilience through persistency, intelligent choice making, and willingness to live.
Weiss, M., & Maurer, K. (2012). No, Way Out: A Story of Valor in the Mountains of Afghanistan. New York: Penguin Group US. Retrieved November 05, 2010, from books.google.co.ke/books?isbn=1101560762
It is undeniable that human struggle is relative. It is relative to one’s background, life experiences, and strength- and at some point everyone is faced with an obstacle that they feel incapable of overcoming. In Surviving Hell, written by Leo Thorsness, the author is captured after a mid-flight ejection in the Vietnam War. He spent years undergoing torture and solitary confinement, not knowing if he would make it out alive. Physically shattered, his spirits remained strong.
By incorporating this sense of failure into fictional events, O'Brien is able to communicate the true human emotion behind the story, rather than just the facts. Above and beyond a simple set of war stories, The Things They Carried reduces fiction to the very heart of why stories are told the way they are. Works Cited:.. O'Brien, Tim. A.
O’Brien’s unique verisimilitude writing style fills the novel with deep meaning and emotion. Analyzing the novel through a psychological lens only adds to its allure. Understanding why characters act the way they do helps bring this novel to life. The reader begins to empathize with the characters. Every day, the soldiers’ lives hang in the balance. How these soldiers react to life-threatening situations will inspire the reader. Life has an expiration date. Reading about people who are held captive by their minds and who die in the name of war, will inspire the reader to live everyday as if they are currently in the
Birdy, who is a new soldier, fears that he will end up dead during the war. He said,“Then I realized that it was the noise, the constant booming, that just filled my guts with a trembling sensation. I knew if I heard the boom I was safe because whatever had exploded hadn't hit me. But it was the idea that at any moment it could be all over, that I could be dead or lie in the sand twisting in agony, that filled me with a terror that I hadn't known before. Terror. It wasn't just being scared. It was a feeling that was taking me over. I knew it but I hoped no one else saw it,” (Myers 71). This description of Birdy's fear develops the idea that in Iraq, surviving emotionally during the war is important to be alive. Walter Dean Myers wants the reader
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.
They are forced to contend with the realization that their survival does not matter to nature. The correspondent comes to the realization, “When it occurs to a man that nature does not regard him as important, and that she feels she would not maim the universe by disposing of him, he first wishes to throw bricks at the temple, and he hates deeply the fact that there are no bricks and no temples” (Crane 213). While the men may try to pin their trouble on the “mythicized deity,” that really does not serve them. When discussing this, Hilfer says, “The discomfiting thing about nature is that though we can address it, our messages can only come back stamped ‘return to sender’” (251). No matter how much the men in the boat try to make sense of what is happening to them, they cannot find the being or force behind
Gonzales, Laurence. Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why: True Stories of Miraculous Endurance and Sudden Death. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2003. Print.