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The Portrayal Of Soldiers In Steven Spielberg, 'Kelly's Heroes'

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Portrayal of Soldiers The portrayal of soldiers in texts shapes the way the general public see soldiers, even if the way they’re being portrayed is inaccurate. In this connections report I will be using examples from four texts: “Saving Private Ryan” directed by Steven Spielberg, “Kelly’s Heroes” directed by Brian G. Hutton, “Iraq And Roll” written and performed by Clint Black and “Hacksaw Ridge” directed by Mel Gibson. Not all soldiers are patriotic The creators of soldier related texts often depict their characters as loyal, patriotic and happy to follow orders, but some creators want to show that not everyone has a perfect moral compass. In “Saving Private Ryan” directed by Steven Spielberg, Captain Miller was ordered to take his men …show more content…

For example in “Iraq And Roll” Clint Black sings, “We can’t ignore the Devil he’ll keep coming back for more”. I believe that this sentence shows that Clint Black and the soldiers he is singing about think that the Iraqi soldiers are comparable if not the embodiment of the Devil. They also think God is on their side and will help them triumph. In this text, religion is used as justification for the horrible things they were doing and to make it look like they were doing God's work. This use of religion is to make others of the same religion to side with Clint Black and the troops he sings …show more content…

In “Saving Private Ryan” directed by Steven Spielberg, the American soldiers stormed Omaha Beach in Normandy. The majority of the American troops are killed the minute they leave the landing boats. Captain Miller survives but a shell lands close to him and stops reacting to the action going on around him. After the effects of the shell have worn off he collects himself and gives orders to his men to advance up the beach. This shows that Captain Miller is an effective leader because he was able to recover from almost being obliterated by a German shell, avoid being shot; make a good strategic

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295). Although Gurganus’ use of metaphors is evident throughout the article, it appears that he intends to provoke thought by illustrating a comparison rather than using symbolism as a stylistic attempt to portray resistance (Blum, 2003, p.295). Gurganus’ (2003) article “Captive Audience” is a continual comparison between his personal experience in the Vietnam War and that of the Iraq War (p. 299). While Blum accurately portrays many of the possible meanings of the metaphors, his interpretations appear to be dramatized. His use of “Larry”, “Al”, “Uncle Sam”, and “the old guys” as symbols for, the average soldier, the father of the average soldier, the draft board, and the generals and politicians, respectively, may be accurate, but Blum’s (2003) interpretation of them as “individuals with whom we shall never become intimate” is overstated (p. 296).

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Likewise the movie, the book describe the time when the battalion was mistaken shelled by American batteries. In his book, Lost Battalions, Richard Slotkin, writes,” Artillery bombardment was the most terrible aspect of combat on the Western Front,...........but to be bombarded by your own artillery was the most demoralizing thing that could

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Not only are the soldiers affected by war, but regular civilians living at home are as well. Many people feel that soldiers show absolutely no emotion and are extraordinary people. However, in “Imagine Dying” written by Rick Loomis, the author proves his audience wrong when he states “here was a group of men, 37 in all, whom [he] viewed as courageous warriors, well-trained and well-equipped, and they seemed to be falling one by one right in front of him” (3). Although the majority of a population feel soldiers are extremely brave and are seldom afraid of their circumstances, this is untrue. Loomis spent a long period of time with a group of soldiers and came to the conclusion they are everyday, ordinary people simply fulfilling the role of

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War, Belief and Emotion People comprehend war very differently; they either hate it, understand it, or love it; there are many literary works with stories depicting these points of view. In 1990, author Tim O’Brien described his view of war with his “work of fiction” The Things They Carried, a book supposedly based on his experiences in the Vietnam War. His descriptive and emotional work richly depicts the feelings and activities of several drafted soldiers in the Vietnam War. Twenty-two years later and based on an entirely different war, came American Sniper, the memoir of a sniper in the Iraq War, by Chris Kyle. Kyle’s proud and rhapsodizing work depicts his strong supportive feelings for the war and what he did there.

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In fact, O’Brien debunks the assumption that men go to fight in wars to become heroes, for he did not go to the war to be recognized as a hero. Instead, Tim O’Brien, like so many others, initially wanted to avoid the draft, but succumbed to the pressures of society, that still continues on to this day. The men, especially the draftees, never quite know what they’re getting into, and wars bring out every emotion in a person through different experiences. In his book, O’Brien states, “Getting shot should be an experience from which you can draw some small pride…” (182). This quote emphasizes the moments of the war in which men muster up what little they would have ever opened up to when they speak of their experiences.

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O'Brien emphasizes the difference between the troops' actual experiences and how those experiences are portrayed in the society and by the government throughout the entire story. He discusses how soldiers are taught to "spin" their perspectives in order to make them more appealing to the American public, frequently by praising their own bravery and understating the atrocities of war. He explains how soldiers can eventually have feelings of remorse and shame due to their sensitivity to violence and

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This story gives the reader an idea of the kinds of things soldiers

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The three movies – Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, and The Green Berets – are all movies based on the same historical event – the Vietnam war and US’s involvement in it. Yet, they all presented us with different and narrative point of view and authority figures in order to paint their individual values. The movies’ most obvious differences lie within the choice of their narrative point of view. The Green Beret, the earliest one, was directed by John Wayne and he also starred in the leading role. Wayne’s authority and influence in the 1960s was similar to the influence of Tom Hanks in the 21st Century.

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In a speech before the American Legion Convention, General Douglas MacArthur praised Wayne’s performance in Sands of Iwo Jima (1949) by declaring, he represents the American serviceman better than the American serviceman himself. His heroic popularity would continue to grow in producer Darryl F. Zanuck’s film, The Longest Day(1962). The

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When faced with war soldiers change, for better or for worse. Modern culture celebrates the glory of patriotic sacrifice. However, this celebration often leaves out the gritty details and trauma of violence behind war and the way it affects people. Homer’s The Odyssey and William Wyler’s The Best Years of Our Lives clearly discuss these details. Both debate the long-awaited return of warriors that went off to fight a war and the way the experience changes the protagonists.

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In Tim O’brien’s war story, The Things They Carried, the narrator describes the life of American soldiers and provides evidence of how the war has impacted their lives. In the 1960’s, young American men were sent to fight in the war thousands of miles away from their homes. At this time, most men had no prior experience of fighting in a war. Naturally, the men had no idea what kind of brutality the war held also how much of a vital role the war would play in their futures. O’brien’s own experience with the war displayed that the fear of getting shamed before ones own peers played a main and also motivating factor for joining the draft.

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Moore uses his past experience from the Korean War and quick thinking to once again save more of his men lives. Needing cover and requesting smoke for cover for a withdrawl just to hearing that no smoke is available he request an White Phosphorus attack which instantly halted the NVA attack and creates cover for his men to retreat. Positive or Negative Leadership example (briefly describe and give relevant page numbers): On page 220 Col. Moore is not showing extreme strength or courage but rather respect to his men. Hal goes up to his men and begins to salute not because he is a higher rank but because he wants to show his respect.

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Hidden somewhere within the blurred lines of fiction and reality, lies a great war story trapped in the mind of a veteran. On a day to day basis, most are not willing to murder someone, but in the Vietnam War, America’s youth population was forced to after being pulled in by the draft. Author Tim O’Brien expertly blends the lines between fiction, reality, and their effects on psychological viewpoints in the series of short stories embedded within his novel, The Things They Carried. He forces the reader to rethink the purpose of storytelling and breaks down not only what it means to be human, but how mortality and experience influence the way we see our world. In general, he attempts to question why we choose to tell the stories in the way

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Simply, the authors, Lederer and Burdick, portrays and specifies the ugliness, yet beauty of a certain character and their duty overseas. Lederer and Burdick,

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International laws are, by definition “A body of rules established by custom or treaty and recognized by nations as binding in their relations with one another” (www.oxforddictionaries.com). International law is a very significant topic because it affects everyone globally. In this research report, I would like to explore the advantages and disadvantages of international laws and consider if they should be enforced in all countries. The modern system we use today was developed in the 17th century in Europe and is still used worldwide (Stratton, 2009). After the Second World War, international unity became very popular (Neff).

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