The Counterculture obviously relates to Kesey theory of drugs being the key to an individual liberation. When Kesey was in the process of writing the novel One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest the Korean War was still a fresh memory, and then in shock came World War II after. According to Kesey war can cause trauma to patients. Following the daily beast article many of the patients in the nove One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest suffered from war trauma. For example, “Old Colonel Matterson thinks he’s still in World War I, Billy Bibbit suffered a breakdown in ROTC training when he couldn’t answer the drill officer’s command without stuttering, and McMurphy, who received a dishonorable discharge in the Korean War for insubordination” (American Dreams).
The Things They Carried The book The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien is about a Vietnam War veteran who explains the life changing events that the members of Alpha Company as well as himself had experienced and witnessed before, during and after the Vietnam War and how these gruesome memories had impacted the lives of these soldiers. Things they will never forget and can’t seem to let go of. Although this is a fictional book it gives the reader a sense of imagery while reading, making you apart of these war events that go on in these soldiers minds. O’Brien seems to capture these dramatic moments through his writing of stories and structure in which he wrote them in, capturing the ‘truth’ of war. O’Brien begins his book by describing the things the men at war would carry with them which was a ton.
Kattie Shull Katherine Minott English 102 August 24, 2012 The Things They Carried The Things They Carried was written by O’Brien and was published in 1986. O’Brien was drafted into the Vietnam War which gives him some knowledge on war and what happens during it. In this short story he wrote about Lieutenant Cross and how he was in love with a women named Martha. He was also the leader of his squad and was always on lookout for the enemy since he was responsible for his men’s lives. Cross is responsible for the death of Lavenders life because he was day dreaming of Martha, not keeping his mind on War and he loved Martha more than he loved his men therefore his only way to keep his mind clear he was to burn the letters that Martha
Slaughterhouse-Five tells the story of Billy Pilgrim, a man who has come "unstuck in time." At any point in his life, he may find himself suddenly at another point in his past or future. Billy's experiences as an American prisoner of war in Germany during World War II are told in more or less chronological order, but these events are continually interrupted by Billy's travels to various other times in his life. At several points in the novel, including the whole of Chapter One, Vonnegut addresses the reader directly. In the opening chapter, the author mentions his own real-life experiences as a prisoner of war-in particular, his witnessing of the Allied firebombing of the German City of Dresden-and discusses the difficulties he had
John Wade tried to make something of himself, but his past shooting of a fellow soldier and his “participation” in the My Lai Massacre, came back to ruin him in his run for a seat in the U.S. Senate. He also suffered from flashbacks to his war years and from what seems to be undiagnosed multiple personality disorder. His other persona was his nickname in Vietnam, Sorcerer. This book is a discussion of how soldiers relieve their experiences in war every day of their lives and how they can influence all aspects of their lives, from jobs to
The end of the book is somewhat satisfying as Chris is starting to cope with his PTSD and help others who are dealing with it as well. However, after this book was written, as it was an autobiography, Chris was murdered by someone he was trying to help that has PTSD. I would recommend this book to anyone that is curious what war is like and what goes through a soldier's mind as they go through the experience, and how it stays with you for the rest of your life. Lastly, A book that we covered this semester that, in my opinion, relates very well to this novel is Schindler's List. It relates to American Sniper because Schindler is going through some of the same concepts and ideas that Chris is having/going through.
While volunteering to serve for his country he fought with skill and courage in many campaigns during the American Revolution, not many people know that the description above is for the man Benedict Arnold, who is best known for betraying his country. This book really showed him growing up, going off to war, and what influenced him to make one of the most historic decisions of American history. When Arnold was young his father didn’t manage the family’s money well, and they were financially ruined when Arnold was thirteen. This was a foreshadowing of things to come in Arnold’s future. As a young man Arnold volunteered for the French & Indian War.
Yes, fiction works can come from direct experiences as well, but typically they are based on a personal experience or idea not directly derived from their experience. In Adam Lam’s story, this was something that he truly went through his entire life. He details his thoughts on his mother’s 70th birthday when he overheard her whisper about the incense. He is telling us his personal life story in regards to his mother and him and how they have grown up in two different worlds. He shares his fears and concerns with us of a real situation that first generation Americans are dealing with in our country as we speak.
Paradoxes of the Vietnam War that affected America “But the hospital had changed all that…Now I wanted to know what I had lost my legs for, why I and the others had gone at all.”(Born on the Fourth of July, ) Vietnam soldiers return home and realize they have missed out on a lot. Soldiers are left physically and mentally scarred and no legit reasons as to why. The Vietnam War resulted in serious contradictions that changed America as a nation. The American people were split over whether the war was right or wrong. There was the anti-war and pro-war Americans fighting about patriotism and if the government was right or wrong.
This story is what I will be telling my kids and grandkids about when they are learning about this war in their history class. New York Times reporter Chris Hedges says, “We forget what war is about, what it does to those who wage it and those who suffer from it. Those who hate war the most, I have often found, are veterans who know it”(War In Iraq). War is started, then often forgot about. We forget what the main purpose of this war is then continue to fight, dragging it on.