A Literary Analysis of War by Sebastian Junger Essay

The book War by Sebastian Junger depicts causalities of war in Afghanistan, personal and social relations affected soldiers. Lt. Col. Bill Ostlund has made the greatest impression in me because of his personal qualities and self-image. Using this character, Sebastian Junger portrays that the soldiers sent to Afghanistan did not necessarily choose to fight this war but they all were sent as their call of duty regardless of their race, ethnicity, color, gender or age. The reasons why some soldiers decided to enter the Armed Forces vary some do it to earn money, some see it as a career opportunity, some to follow the footsteps of their military parents and others do it because it has been there lifelong dream.Lt. Col. Bill Ostlund is a real hero committed to die to protect and maintain freedom in this nation. He is described as "colonel of Cherokee descent named Bill Ostlund" (Junger 135). Sebastian Junger describes that most soldiers never wanted to go to war unless it is the last resort. Those sent off to war are strangers to one another but are quickly taught to build trust and courage as if we were blood family. After finishing their mission, Bill Ostlund realized that nobody wanted to be there. However, Bill Ostlund had the courage to help comrades and that if soldiers charged down the street, they could trust whichever one was behind. To Bill Ostlund it did not matter how long soldiers were together, where they had came from, or what color, race, or ethnicity they were. What did matter the most was to return home alive and to enjoy freedom once again.I admire Bill Ostlund because he is a modern soldier and a person who possesses the features of an ideal man, and personifies high moral values and physical strength. The modern soldier is a person who is able to distinguish what is good and what is bad, and who follows his personal beliefs. He...

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Character Analysis of Basil Hallward in The Picture of Dorian Gray, a Novel by Oscar Wilde Essay

The main character in The Picture of Dorian Gray, Dorian, is a man too easily influenced by his surroundings. He is quoted as saying, Basil Hallward is what I think I am Lord Henry is what the world thinks me Dorian is what I would like to bein other ages, perhaps (Wilde). This comparison falls in line with the moral of the story because Dorian is stuck with eternal youth and beauty even though he has a wicked soul. This causes different views of him by people who observe his daily life. Dorian is a sponge throughout the novel that absorbs everything and allows it to shape his personality, morals, and actions. Dorian Gray takes influence from Lord Henry, Basil Hallward, and the culture of society during which the novel was written. Lord Henry is the epitome of a wealthy, hedonistic gentleman seeking only pleasure, with little regard to cost or consequence. Lord Henry Wotton outwardly propounds hedonism, but it is his extreme egotism that drives him to manipulate both Basil Hallward a
Read more

Religious Symbolism in The Blessed Damozel, a Poem by Dante Gabriel Rossetti Essay

Dante Gabriel Rossettis poem The Blessed Damozel is full of religious symbolism. There is talk of saints, and the poem itself takes place in heaven. But underneath the religious symbolism is a deep sensuality, that makes one wonder if the white rose of Marys gift referred to in line nine is the gift of Mary the Virgin, or the somewhat less virginal Mary Magdalene. While the Damozel is in heaven, her appearance in heaven, her behaviors in life, and what happens when she and her lover are reunited suggest some less than virginal dealings, yet the damozel is blessed and resides in heaven. Rossetti was the child of liberals kicked out of Italy a heavily catholic country for their extreme political views. While Rossetti himself was not political, he may have espoused similar views regarding politics and religion as his parents. In the poem The Blessed Damozel, Rossetti was given the chance to essentially create his own heaven. Most everything he wrote seems to show that Rossetti espoused
Read more

An Analysis of the Character of Chichikov in the Poem, Dead Souls by Nikolai Gogol Essay

Dead Souls takes place in the Russia of the late 1800s, where, unlike in America, one must be born into a prosperous family in order to have opportunities. The main character, Chichikov, is clever enough to develop a scheme in which he can rise from being a petty clerk to a respected landowner. In order to do this, Chichikov moves into a new town, pretending to already be a landowner, and begins a quest to buy the names of dead serfs who have not yet been officially reported dead. Each person that Chichkov presents this offer to has a different reaction, starting with the shy and introverted Manilov. Though he does not understand Chichikov's need for the names of these dead serfs, Manilov is a character that is so desperate for company that it does not take any effort to trick him into selling his dead souls cheaply. However, as Chichikov continues his journey, he starts to deal with more clever landowners who become suspicious of his scheme. Chichikov finds that the townsmen know
Read more