ipl-logo

Summary Of The Sweetheart Of Song Tra Bong

625 Words3 Pages

In the short story “The Sweetheart of Song Tra Bong,” one of Tim O’Brien’s purposes is to describe how society wrongfully and differently characterizes women from men, believing that women are one-dimensional beings simply present to offer men comfort. O’brien uses irony to portray and help develop this theme and idea O’brien mentions through this short story. Rat Kiley would snap when someone questioned one of the details in his story and always say
, “Like you and me. A girl, that’s the only difference” (93). Here O’brien portrays Mary Anne and women in general, as fair equals of men and simply no different. Gender isn’t in charge of defining an individual, but it’s the individual that is in charge of defining themselves through their actions, ideas, and …show more content…

This is shown through Mary Anne and her actions/behaviors throughout her transformation she undertakes in Vietnam, same as many men that did before her and will after her. Rat Kiley would always like to insert little clarifications or bits of analysis and personal opinion when he told the story, so he stops telling the story, throwing off the flow, stating, “She was a girl, that’s all. I mean, if it was a guy, everybody'd say, Hey, no big deal, he got caught up in the Nam shit, he got seduced by the Greenies… You got these blinders on about women. How gentle and peaceful they are… Pure garbage. You got to get rid of that sexist attitude” (102). Here O’brien portrays the idea that women are characterized as sweet and peaceful beings with no violent thoughts and actions, yet, here Mary Anne is simply a regular girl who has become swallowed by the war as has happened to many men showing the false expectations society holds against women and their abilities. She is transformed by the war and has ironically become hungrier for adventure than her soldier boyfriend who had brought her over to be a comfort for him while he was in the midst of war.

Show More
Related
1140 Words | 5 Pages

This meant that women had to step up. This war changed the ideal image of the common American woman. Before the war, women were supposed to be structured as known by Historians as, “The Cult of True Womanhood.” This was the

Read More
705 Words | 3 Pages

As she becomes engaged in the war Mary Anne evolves to embrace the savage beauty of the land and is lured by the mysteriousness of war. Mary Anne’s presence represents a semblance of normalcy and beauty, contrasting with the harsh realities and horror of combat. This beauty lies in her determination to follow her heart despite the dangers surrounding her. Her interest with Vietnamese culture and integration into their way of life reveals both the allure and the terrifying consequences of war. The beauty lies in her curiosity and willingness to embrace new experiences, even in the midst of a war zone.

Read More
518 Words | 3 Pages

The Fight for Women’s Independence When thinking about the Revolutionary War, we think about the American colonist fighting against British rule for America’s freedom. In Carol Berkin’s book, Revolutionary Mothers: Women in the struggle for America’s Indepe6ndence, we are shown through women’s eyes how the war affects them, and not just the army’s that fought in the war. The war saw changes in women that were different than their style of life had been, although not always recognized by the men who fought the war. Berkin argues that women were still treated the same as before the war, no matter the struggle for independence for their nation and themselves. I agree with Carol Berkin, because women did what they could at home or in the front

Read More
1007 Words | 5 Pages

Mary Anne’s tongue necklace also represents her love for war and desire to be apart of Vietnamese culture. Mary Anne is fearless and “real” because she’s willing to be consumed by the “jungle” of war both literal and figurative. O’Brien effectively utilizes MaryAnne’s character as an example of the independent and abnormal woman of this time

Read More
160 Words | 1 Pages

Thus at the story 's conclusion, we are shown a character who has evolved past the boundaries of the narrative itself. Moving on, another stylistic choice that O’Brien uses is the far fetched characterization and seemingly instant metamorphosis of Mary Anne. When, Rat and the rest of the soldiers see Mary Anne, she is depicted as a young, sweet, innocent girl. O’Brien alludes to her deep American roots as he describes her as having “long white legs and blue eyes and a complexion like strawberry ice cream” - a subtle way to put in red,white, and blue (O’Brien, 93). However, her character doesn’t stay so innocent and sweet for long.

Read More
859 Words | 4 Pages

The American Revolution or also known as the U.S War of Independence and the American Revolutionary War took place during 1775 to 1783. The Revolution was a conflict arose from the residents of Great Britain’s 13 colonies and the colonial government. The Revolution brought few changes to the lives of women, while the men were away at war, women would stay home and take over the jobs men had before the war. As time flew by, women started taking roles in the Revolutionary War, examples of women who took roles are: Molly Gutridge, Eliza Wilkinson, Anna Rawle and Esther De Berdt Reed.

Read More
1883 Words | 8 Pages

Women’s fight for equality has been a long lasting struggle, specifically in the military realm. Though their sense of motivation to fight for their nation was akin to male counterparts, women had never had the chance to combat on the frontlines due to, what many believed, their fragility and innate incapability to serve. The magnitude of World War II required an immense amount of American personnel, leading to the enlistment of women. Initially, the public and Congress were severely opposed to the integration of women into the military (in combat and non combat), claiming that their femininity would be lost and female household roles would dissolve(Yellin 111). With a drive fueled by patriotism, duty, and honor, the military appealed to these

Read More
632 Words | 3 Pages

Kate Chopin’s short story “The Story of an Hour” is set in the late 1800s – a time when women were considered inferior to men. Women had traditional roles as wives and mothers. In this 19th century patriarchal society, Chopin shows us Louise Mallard, the main character, who does not comply with the female gender norms of the Victorian period. When Louise learns about the death of her husband, her reaction and the reaction of her sister and the doctor tell us a great deal about gender stereotyping during this time. Louise Mallard is described to us as “firm” and “fair.

Read More
530 Words | 3 Pages

Gender Roles Portrayed In Anne Of Green Gables In Anne of Green Gables written by Lucy Maud Montgomery, there is a strong portrayal of gender perspectives. Each woman within the story including Anne and Marilla ascribe a different gender role. Throughout this essay, we will discus these gender roles and how or why they may be different or similar.

Read More
1203 Words | 5 Pages

Just His Wife In the past, women were expected to be maids, housewives, beauticians, and school teachers. With the increased popularity of feminism, women are becoming recognized as equivalent to men. In the novella Of Mice and Men, there was only one woman on the farm. The woman, Curley’s wife, was always disrespected, all of the men on the ranch always thought that she wanted to cheat on her husband.

Read More
1045 Words | 5 Pages

There is much speculation on gender identity and the gender roles that surround them society views that men should be manly and brave while girls must be scared and timid while other people view that this notion is not right. Just because people are born into these genders does not mean that they must conform to how society views them they should them be able to be who they want to without the

Read More
878 Words | 4 Pages

Historians agree that feminism’s fate broke through in the 1920’s, yet this reformation of social justice was not been embraced by a majority of Americans. In this decade, women were finally allowed to vote, they cut their hair short, and rebelled against the norms of society; however, misogyny remained mentally within the community through media, politics, and even in literature. In 1925, five years after the flappers movement was initiated in America, F. Scott Fitzgerald published his most reputable novel: The Great Gatsby, where the misportrayal of women is apparent within the distinctive natures of his characters. Fitzgerald’s novel focuses on the complexities of American society and the struggles to attain dreams, all while enduring the

Read More
1064 Words | 5 Pages

My life had stood – a Loaded Gun (Emily Dickinson) • Who is the loaded gun? The loaded gun is a woman(poet) torn between two dimensions how she perceives herself (Rich, p.1), trying to feel and do in the 19th century things that were thought to be exclusive to men, taking the risk of defining herself and her feminine ideal side, governed by patriarchy.

Read More
1443 Words | 6 Pages

Inequality is faced daily by people of all races, religions, and genders. Women, for example, are still faced with the crisis of equal pay in the workplace and constant sexism from employers and a growing pop culture. The inequality is seen in the book Winter’s Bone by Daniel Woodrell. Through a highly patriarchal community, the women in the book, especially Ree, are brought against harsh conditions, both physical and mental. Through the analysis of female characters in the novel Winter’s Bone, Daniel Woodrell, through categorizing women in the three groups of caregivers, survivors, and prisoners, comments on the inequality women face in society.

Read More
1297 Words | 6 Pages

Odour of Chrysanthemums – Born to be Different Gender issues have always been one of the most-discussed topics in the world of literature. For years, writers would like to feature gender differences, and putting them into their work. D.H. Lawrence's “Odour of Chrysanthemums” is one of the examples. In the story, male is represented by Walter Bates, his son John Bates, Mr. Rigley, Elizabeth's father, and the people from Walter's company; whereas female is represented by the protagonist, Elizabeth Bates, her daughter Annie Bates, Walter's mother and Mrs. Rigley.

Read More

More about Summary Of The Sweetheart Of Song Tra Bong

Related Topics

Open Document