This extends to going to war. Shaun Tan and Gary Crew’s ‘Memorial’ represents how the bonds of friendship have led Australians into the most horrific of circumstances. The tree in the book embodies the memories of soldiers of past. It represents three generations of war in which Australia has fought and remembering the fallen comrades that died in battle. The book demonstrates an image of patriotism within Australia.
After Finny “shattered” his leg, Finny refuses to accept the concept of war (Knowles 53). Dr. Stanpole tells Finny, “Sports are finished” and Finny realizes that he could not participate in the war (63). Finny believes that “fat old men” created the war so people will not “crowd them out of a job” (115). Towards the end of the book Finny matures into the reality
The American Revolution marked the history of many heroic events that immaculately stand as true inspirations for the generations to come in the United States. Even today, the gallantry of a few soldiers that won independence for the country is not only kept in the hearts of the people but run in the American blood to demonstrate acts of valor at times of war and hardships. One such story recorded in the history dates back to 1776, about a sixteen-year old juvenile, Joseph Plumb Martin, joined the Rebel Infantry and recorded his tribulations about forty-seven years in a memoir titled as “A Narrative of a Revolutionary Soldier”. The book mainly focuses on the sufferings through the tough situation he went through.
In Tim O’Brien’s autobiographical novel, If I Die in Combat, Box Me up and Ship Me Home, he recounts his experience of being drafted into service and what happens in Vietnam. This memoir is structured within 23 chapters shifting between different time periods. The lack of chronological organization emphasizes the unpredictable nature of being in the military. The conflict that O’Brien faces is a struggle of moral and ethical judgment of his involvement in a war that he believes is unjust. He not only questions his personal involvement in the war, but he also questions the other participants reasoning for joining the war.
Knowles is able to convey a message to anyone who reads this book, from the youngest reader to the oldest. Knowles tries to portray that Devon in 1942 is a tiny opening of peacetime throughout one of the bloodiest wars in history. But that soon turns sour. This description of Gene and the way his mind works shows that anyone and anything can change in an instant. Gene's friendship with Finny turns into a co-dependent catfight.
The balloons are out, the flowers are in bloom, I smell summer. I smell a summer like no other. Not because the groundhog came out early this year, or because I was one year older, but because I was a graduate, from Gilkey International middle school (finally). Sophie comes up to me yelling, super excited for the night ahead, graduation. As we rehearse our ceremony, in our high inched heels and dainty fake eyelashes Charlie runs up behind us screaming in our ear jumping us out of our own skin.
We finally made it, the day has come when we arrived at Piermont New Hampshire. Our week long vacation in July has just begun! Even though it was a long two hour drive from Ludlow, it was worth the wait. The jeep wrangler, black in color had pulled up into the driveway. Its boxy structure covered with bug splatters on the windshield from the long ride up.
The introduction to life in Vietnam. As many wide eyed and green soldiers arrive, they are greeted by weather soldiers just grinding through another day. The events these green soldiers would endure in the future were unforeseeable. As new soldiers they carried all the basics.
It was a cool breezy, spring night as we set off on our journey. The clocked showed 7pm and our destination was Clearwater Beach, Florida. We crammed into a van and set off on our journey. In the beginning, we shared some laughs. By the end of the journey, we shared even more laughs and fears for the future.
“Very,what about you ?” I responded quickly. He then answered
“I’ve lived in oppression long enough.” “Now it is time I shall revolt from the chains that hold me together,” I thought to myself as I prudently approached the enlistment sheet. Liberty, Freedom. Feelings I have never felt nor experienced because of the authoritarian that controlled me. My family has paid exorbitant taxes, been ruled by nefarious tyrant and endured the burdens of immense disrespect.
How it was shaped: Tim allowed the draft of the Vietnam war and societal pressures get to the best of him and he slowly tore himself apart, he started off as a confident incorrigible man. His morals later then became corrupted, he gave into the pressures, his self proclaimed Lone Ranger status had been infected and debunked by his end decision of serving in the Vietnam war. Thesis: In the story, On the Rainy River, the author, Tim O’Brien demonstrates that an individual allows societal pressures and expectations to override their core values, morals, and beliefs; peer pressure forces individuals to put their beliefs aside so they can fit in with everyone else. The narrator, Tim O’Brien faces a similar situation when he get’s drafted for the Vietnam War.
Ross’ story is told in a structurally unique way through Kennedy’s pen and with the theme of courage resonating throughout. Ross makes the decision to sacrifice his political career for the sake of saving the country of what ironically the Anti-Slavery radical Republicans were fighting so hard to vote against; freedom. Without his descriptive detail in his use of words, phrases and quotes, it’s message would be difficult to replicate. Without his subtle but significant use of rhetorical devices, he would never have able to persuade the audience to join Ross’ cause without even telling them his motives. Kennedy writes in a way which keeps the reader on the edge of confusion and enthrallment for Edmund G. Ross.
In the short story “On the Rainy River”, Tim O’Brien has an idea of fleeing to Canada and avoiding the war. However, he simply chooses to go against his beliefs and go to war. This action reveals him as a week-minded and self-conscious person. Because of this minute act, O’Brien lives the rest of his life in utter embarrassment and sadness (“I survived, but it's not a happy ending.
However, I was also extremely scared. I was thinking about how my classes would go? Are my teachers nice? Am I gonna have classes with my friends? After I ate breakfast, I got in the car with my mom and met up with my best friend Kalliee so we could at least walk in together because we didn 't have any classes together.
