Benny and the War

404 Words2 Pages
An academic essay on Mordecai Richler´s short story: "Benny, the War in Europe, and Myerson’s Daughter Bella". Introducing the text: As the title of the story suggests the protagonist of this story is Benny and is about the changes to his person as a result of his participation in WWII and his relationship with Bella who share a sort of love story with Benny. Upon his return Benny, and his family, tries to re-establish himself in the jewish community he came from...without much luck. My focal points in this essay will be on the psycological impact that war can have on an individual and how denial, both personal and from one´s community, will not be an effective help reinstating an individual to said community. Would Benny still have killed himself had he come home this day in age? A 1940´s American/Jewish community? With Mordecai Richler´s literary technique of showing us Benny and his family, their respective actions and reactions, we are let into a world where "a man is a man" and personal problems are exactly that; personal and not for others. The author shows us how this works by describing quite simple things: "The food parcels were always the same, and the letters — coming from Camp Borden and Aldershot and Normandy and Holland — were always the same too. They began — “I hope you are all well and good” — and ended — “don’t worry, all the best to everybody, thank you for the parcel.” " p. 1. Benny does not tell home about what he sees and does over-seas. He does not share his feelings and they do not ask. Not even after he comes home. This is not a recipe for getting better. “Benny had been discharged and sent home, not because the war was over, but because of the shrapnel in his leg, but he didn’t limp too badly and he didn’t talk about his wound or the war, so at first nobody noticed that he had changed." Benny´s relationship with
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