Essay On Modern Day Veterans

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How are the people of Ancient Greece similar to the people of modern day? Modern day people actually have more in common with the ancient greeks than one would think. In the articles “ Psychiatrist Who Counsels Vets Wins Genius Grant” by Joseph Shapiro and “Back From War but Not Really Home” by Caroline Alexander, talks about veterans who have post traumatic stress disorder, and how the epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey help treat them. The Epic poems expose the struggles of Modern day veterans by revealing what kind of trauma they experienced, yet it also helps them for proving how they are not the only ones to feel this way.

Veterans connect with the poems, because they understand what war is like. The first sign of the connection between epic heroes and veterans was when,“He told them stories of Achilles and Odysseus...guilt and loss among soldiers resonated with Vietnam Veterans” (Shapiro, 4). When he was reading to the vets they, understood the struggles of the epic heroes.Their troubles faded away when they were listening to the stories. Society has the tendency to feel that they “ have dealt with better man and never did they once disregard me” (Alexander, 13). The veterans are often ridiculed because …show more content…

Most people who go to war will lose it similar to how, “ a military psychiatrist …. went on a shooting rampage at an army base in Texas” (Alexander, 2). If the veteran does not get help, then they will go psychotically insane.It does not take much to have a person become mentally unstable. War can not end well for any on either side as, “Death on the battlefield and the voyage home- both are epic” (Alexander, 15). No matter their fate of fighting in war, a soldier will be permanently changed by it. However if they are able to reach for help from others, then they could get their life back on track. Veterans need the support of others in order to cope with their mental

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