Summary Of Fallen Angels By Walter Dean Myers

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Emily Knust English 11 Quarter Three Book Report Fallen Angels is a novel written by Walter Dean Myers. Myers, like Richie Perry, was a colored boy from Harlem. Myers had a speech problem all throughout his life and this gave him the drive to write. He dropped out of school as a junior and later went to the army. He was not recognized until he won a reward for his story, Where Does A Day Go? This novel, Fallen Angels, won the Coretta Scott King Award. This story is set in Vietnam, in about 1967. The Vietnam War was fought against North Vietnam. They were supported by other communist nations, and the U.S wanted to stop the spread of communism. The main protagonist is Richie Perry, a teen, from Harlem, that was much like the author. Perry went to the army to try to get away from his alcoholic mother. Perry was very smart, and could have had the opportunity to go to college …show more content…

In some ways this helps him explain this situation to himself. The central theme would be the loss of innocence to the young boys. The understand the harsh reality of war and that it isn’t glamorous at all. The mix up of his medical files contribute and show the disorder and confusion that is to come. Perrys constant struggle with the whole reason to war contributes to the harsh reality of the war theme. Perry’s letter home is a symbol of him coming to terms with the concept of war. When he first gets there he has no idea even how to put this place into war but as he sees more and more of the reality of war he is finally able to write a letter to his brother about his situation. Another symbol is the lost dog-tags. When they have to leave and dispose of the dead, they don’t even have time or the decency to collect the tags to identify the fallen men. This symbolises the senselessness of war and how not all men die honorable