Where Men Win Glory, by Jon Krakauer

1088 Words3 Pages

Where Men Win Glory is an ironic euphemism for war. The title is ironic because there is nothing glorious about war or the way it ended Pat Tillman’s beautiful life. Jon Krakauer orchestrates this masterpiece with his diligently, articulated descriptions and with a timeline sewn together from the threads of two worlds. The author’s style can best be characterized by his challenging, precise diction and his ability to fluently intervene pertinent quotes and facts that further persuade the reader toward his cause. Throughout the book, the author’s tone harnesses resentment towards the militant hierarchy; for through its ingenuousness, deceit, and manipulation, the military uses Pat’s death as propaganda to bolster the war’s support. Furthermore, the military covers up the fact that Tillman was a victim of fratricide, and it deceives the nation into believing Tillman’s end was a valiant fight against insurgents. When the truth is exposed and pursued by Dannie - Pat’s mother - the army destroys evidence and pleads guilty to ignorance as a rebuttal. This book is molded by three prodigious aspects that help to illustrate Pat’s life story. The carelessness of war, importance of family, and enhancement through change were all important ingredients that created a virtuous life. Each theme, in addition, challenges me personally to reassess the facts I have been fed and the reality that I have been presented. By doing so, I can achieve a sound base of knowledge and an intellectual prowess capable of challenging all facts presented. War is the means to many ends. The ends of ruthless dictators, of land disputes, and lives – each play its part in the reasoning for war. War is controllable. It can be avoided; however, once it begins, the bat... ... middle of paper ... ...nless it was a matter of national security, and she would work to improve its dire state of self deprecation. In the case of family, today’s people are further depreciating the value of such a thing. Disturbing side effects include adultery, fornication, spousal abuse, and rampant amounts of children from unmarried partners. Where Men Win Glory exhibits the influence of family in creating enlightened people and the positive effects it can have on others from being in a loving environment – happiness being one. Finally, change as I explained above is an amazing feat that is life changing. Picture such a movement on a global scale. If one has not perused this book, then one is missing out on life; read this book and interpret your own meanings. Then, I challenge you, as Pat would, to become actively involved in improving yourself. See what happens; you might like it.

Where Men Win Glory, by Jon Krakauer
812 Words | 2 Pages
September 11, 2001 marked a tragic day in the history of the United States; a terrorist attack had left the country shaken. It did not take long to determine those who were behind the attack and a call for retribution swept through the nation. Citizens in a wave of patriotism signed up for military service and the United States found resounding international support for their efforts in the war on terror. Little opposition was raised at the removal of the Taliban regime and there was much support for bringing Osama Bin Laden and the leaders of al-Qaeda to justice. Approval abroad diminished approximately a year and a half later when Afghanistan became a stepping stone to the administration’s larger ambition, the invasion of Iraq. The administration would invent several stories and in some cases remain silent of the truth where would prove positive for the Iraqi invasion. It seems they were willing to say anything to promote the largely unpopular and unnecessary war they were resolved on engaging in.
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Where Men Win Glory, by Jon Krakauer
1202 Words | 3 Pages
Throughout the ages, men and women have been at the heart of myths and legends, evolving into tragic heroes in large part due to the embellishment bestowed upon them over the ages. From Odysseus and Achilles to Brutus, Hamlet, and King Lear, epic poems have revolved around the tragic hero. Pat Tillman was a man of many aptitudes and virtues, never satisfied by the mediocre, striving for more adventure, more meaning, in his tragically short time on Earth, and personifying the phrase carpe diem. Even Pat Tillman had tragic flaws; his unwillingness to be typical, his undying loyalty to family and country, and his curiously concrete set of morals amalgamated to set in motion Tillman’s eventual death. These, whatever the outcome might have been, are not by any means, the archetypical tragic flaws. They are, as Jon Krakauer later described, “tragic virtues.” Where Men Win Glory is not solely a tribute to Pat Tillman. What makes it truly unique is its exhaustively comprehensive history preceding Tillman’s death, and equally essential, the events that transpired following his death, including the cover-ups, scandals, corruption, falsified documents, indignities, and lies that facilitated, also, in emphasizing the core themes, of which Tillman was the epitome. Tillman’s fidelity and devotion to the people whom he loved, the use of misinformation and cants surrounding his death, and others’ responses to what Tillman considered paramount in his life all played a key role in the tragedy of a man who won glory.
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Where Men Win Glory, Jon Krakauer
786 Words | 2 Pages
Glory. It is an honor that all men, even if they are not aware, strive for. The definition of “glory” is different for everyone. To one, “glory” might mean graduating medical school; to another, it could mean taking center stage in a play as the applause surrounds her. To Pat Tillman, glory was not defined as a multimillion dollar NFL contract or millions of adoring fans. It meant following his upright inner voice and fulfilling his civil obligations. In Where Men Win Glory by Jon Krakauer, Tillman rejects a successful football career to join the Army after being deeply disturbed by the September 11, 2011, terrorist attack. I never thought a book with so much war and politics could be so heart-wrenching. Although I did not like the political aspects of the book, I was moved by the story. John Krakauer’s writing style, however, made me have my ups and downs throughout the book. Regardless of the negative details, I love this book. I have never felt more connected to a book assigned as a school assignment.
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Destruction in Erich Maria Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front
1541 Words | 4 Pages
Right after reading this paragraph, I knew that none of this book was to be comical or heroic. It was not going to be one of those stupid stories romanticizing war and making heroes out of men who killed more of the enemy than anyone else; this book was about destruction. These few lines before chapter one set the whole tone for the rest of the book. Glory does not exist in this story, only death and sadness.
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Beyond the Battlefield by David Blight
1494 Words | 3 Pages
David W. Blight's book Beyond the Battlefield: Race, Memory and the American Civil War, is an intriguing look back into the Civil War era which is very heavily studied but misunderstood according to Blight. Blight focuses on how memory shapes history Blight feels, while the Civil War accomplished it goal of abolishing slavery, it fell short of its ultimate potential to pave the way for equality. Blight attempts to prove that the Civil War does little to bring equality to blacks. This book is a composite of twelve essays which are spilt into three parts. The Preludes describe blacks during the era before the Civil War and their struggle to over come slavery and describes the causes, course and consequences of the war. Problems in Civil War memory describes black history and deals with how during and after the war Americans seemed to forget the true meaning of the war which was race. And the postludes describes some for the leaders of black society and how they are attempting to keep the memory and the real meaning of the Civil War alive and explains the purpose of studying historical memory.
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Questioning the Revolutionary Impact of the American War
1041 Words | 3 Pages
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What Is The Importance Of A Lie In Ambush By Tim O Brien
976 Words | 2 Pages
Julianna Claire, an award winning poet once said, “War makes men act like fools, and makes fools pretend to be brave.” War is a very difficult and dangerous game. There must be a just cause to fight for, supporters on either side of the war, and clear plan on what the war ought to look like. Though, as much as countries plan their strategies and perfect their tactics, war never seems to go how people think it should. War creates heartache, makes countries question their governments, and changes the lives of the soldiers who fight in them. One such story that address the damages of war, is Ambush, by Tim O’Brien (1946). In this short story, Tim O’Brien tells a story of a young man fighting in Vietnam who kills a member of the Vietnam army. Robin Silbergleid, a neurosurgeon in Seattle, Washington, who minored in
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Tim O Brien's How To Tell A War Story
158 Words | 1 Pages
Tim O’ Brien’s narrative, How to Tell a War Story depicts the livelihood and experience of American soldiers during the Vietnam War. More so evaluating the life Tim O’ Brien and several other characters in his platoon. The sequences of stories reveals the thoughts and behavior of many post-Vietnam veterans and also can be related to the behavior of many veterans today. Throughout the segments of stories, “How to tell a War Story”, “Speaking of Courage and Notes”, and “The Things They Carried”, O’ Brien illustrates a common theme of guilt and sacrifice among the key characters Lieutenant Cross, Rat, and O’ Brien himself. Each character are presented with an unexpected responsibility and are forced to serve their state. A sense of discomfort
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The Meaning of “Story-Truth” and “Happening-Truth”
1005 Words | 3 Pages
A true war story is never moral. It does not instruct, nor encourage virtue, nor suggest models of proper human behavior, nor restrain ...
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Comparing Irony of War in Dulce et Decorum, Regeneration, and Quiet on the Western Front
1172 Words | 3 Pages
... Paul's strong words, demonstrated through the author's talent, are denouncing the authority figures who were supposed to guide his generation into adulthood but instead turned the youth against each other in the pursuit of superficial ideals. The soldiers were simply the victims of a meaningless war. In conclusion, Remarque's firsthand encounters with trench warfare, Owen's vivid descriptions of the soldiers' experiences and Baker's touching accounts of the lives of historical figures, all state that there were no victors in war, only losers in a hopeless battle for territorial supremacy.
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The Case Of The Haitian Revolution: The Justification Of War
878 Words | 2 Pages
War is one of the few constants throughout human history. It is a method of self-defense or of establishing natural rights or of resolving issues not rectified through the use of diplomatic methods of peace. It has reached every nation and every time period, and despite what some may believe it is a morally justifiable action.
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The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane
1445 Words | 3 Pages
Standing out more than the other soldiers in his regiment Henry defines his bravery by many different points throughout his experiences. While Henry is just a boy, his self-image is shared very descriptively while Henry tells his mother that he is joining the army. His mother completely rejects his adult decisions of becoming a soldier, but his thoughts were like bricks that could not be moved. Assuring that Henry was not making any rash decisions that he would regret, his mother respects his ideas and allows him to pursue his goal. Henry’s mother shows that she will dignify his decisions, “She had then covered her face with the quilt. There was an end to the matter for that night.” (Crane 5). For Henry’s sake of becoming a man and increasing his self-image, his mother puts her worries aside and lets him go to war. Therefore, Henry, with his decisions of war continues to lack knowledge of reality. His adolescent mind cannot comprehend the horrific scenes of battle, in preparation, he must increase his life visually before he is encouraged to fight for his country. The soldiers in Henry’s regiment tell their stories of battle and how different it really is compared to Henry's life back home. “He was nobody; now he is suddenly special, and this is what he wants.”(Breslin 268) . As Henry continues to be told the stories of men dying, people suffering, and the conditions of war, Henry’s vision of war changes. By understanding how war really is, it enables Henry to become more of a man while he is preparing himself mentally for his first experience in battle. On the other hand, Henry is unaware of how the future will end up. The risks he will have to take and the struggles he will have to overcome in order survive in battle will reveal...
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Antoine Henri de Jomini vs Carl von Clausewitz
2503 Words | 6 Pages
It is interesting and even surprising that the two major strategies regarding war were developed by European contemporaries of the late eighteenth and nineteenth century. Antoine Henri de Jomini (1779-1869) approached his philosophy of war in a structured, scientific manner. Carl von Clausewitz (1780-1831) took a more fluid, open-ended approach to his philosophy of war. The fact that they lived during the same time period in Europe is also fascinating in that they likely knew of each others’ writings as well as potentially influenced and were influenced by the philosophy of the other. Jomini’s scientific approach is more applicable to the tactical and operational levels of war while Clausewitz approaches war as more of an art or interaction between people that is more appropriate to the strategic and political levels of war. Although their two war strategies are presented as opposing strategies, by comparing concepts from each of the theorists to the other theorist’s work shows that they are actually more complementary than competing in that they are addressing different levels of war. The concepts to be evaluated are Clausewitz’s “Trinity of War”, “war as a continuation of politics”, and the “unpredictability of war” as well as Jomini’s definition of strategy and his “Fundamental Principle of War”.
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On War by Carl Von Clausewitz
1315 Words | 3 Pages
Carl von Clausewitz, “What is War?” On War. Edited and translated by Michael Howard and Peter Paret, 89-112. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1976.
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Military War: Cause and Effect
540 Words | 2 Pages
All living things need the resources provided by our natural world to live, leading to them adapting to specific environments. Animals in particular are mobile creatures that move from place to place searching for the best environments for their survival. The most intelligent creatures in our animal world are human beings and like other animals, they moved from place to place while organized into races in search of the elusive desirable environments. However, there is always the likelihood of finding fellow humanity already thriving in that environment. This resulted to conflict as competition for the inadequate resources arose. Consequently, human beings formed nations, allegiance to the national system meant loyalty to the governance, and regions and they formed military groups to defend their resources. However, the military warfare has changed with international understanding, though the idea still rests heavily on fight for resources. Further, international politics illustrates the causes and effects of modern military war have changed due to chan...
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Where Men Win Glory, by Jon Krakauer