American military deployment and the post-9/11 war on terrorism

Impressions of War

The most vivid imagine of war was the beginning of it all. September 11, 2001 changed the United States. It was vividly relived over and over again in the media and in the newspaper. There was this sense that the nation's spirit had been broken and there was no room to live innocently. There were plenty of young individuals, both male and female, that either got summoned or volunteered to go and fight this war on terrorism. It began in the United States with the attack on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington DC. Although we did not really know it at the time, this was the first image of war and it was the beginning of this whole war on terrorism. The declaration of war by President Bush on television will forever live in my mind. It was the day that individuals that I personally knew would forever have their lives changed by joining the military.

These individuals who chose to go to war felt anger for our nation having been attacked, but they felt pride in going to either Iraq or Afghanistan to fight for their country. Despite the horror that we all knew awaited them, there was this sense of heroism and bravery that could not be denied. This sense that they were able to truly express themselves became the positive side to this war. However, ten years later, this war is not completely over. There are still military personnel getting deployed for their fourth or fifth tour, making it not only difficult on them, but on their families as well. The reputation of the war on both Iraq and Afghanistan have taken a turn for the worse. Very few true supporters of the war exist, as we are bombarded day by day with horrific images on the Internet or even on television.

When closing my eyes and thinking about the word "War," I think of the effect on hundreds of thousands of lives that one simple war can have. So many people have died, so many lives have been forever changed, and so many things have been done that cannot be taken back, that makes me question the true significance of war. Although there is a sense of freedom that war can bring to its nation, it is at a high cost to those individuals who go out there and protect our country so that the rest of us do not have to.

2) World War I

a)

Eliot's reference to "The Shadow" is made many times throughout Section V of the poem. In lines 72 -- 76, "Between the idea / and the reality / Between the motion / and the act / Falls the Shadow" he is stating they have ideas that are unable to become reality. They are halted because of this shadow. They think of what to do "the motion," but cannot actually go through with it, "the act." The lines 78 -- 83 further build on this idea that the shadow is preventing them from actually getting anything through, "Between the conception / and the creation / Between the emotion / and the response / Falls the Shadow." Something is beginning ("conception"), but does not actually form ("creation"). This idea of allowing thought ("response") to become materialized ("response") is prevented by the shadow. These different analysis of the various parts of Section V makes one think that the shadow that Eliot constantly refers to is uncertainty. It is uncertainty that is not allowing for any of these things to completely be followed through with. Lines 84 -- 91 also support this observation of what the shadow is referring to, "Between the desire / and the spasm / Between the potency / and the existence / Between the essence / and the descent / Falls the Shadow." All these occurrences are being halted by uncertainty; they are being halted by the shadow.

b)

The hollow men are described as being men who are very dry, boring, and straightforward. It is as if nothing they do has meaning and they go through life too afraid to actually get anything done. Socially they are reserved, conservative, and scared of moving out of their comfort zone. Religiously, they depend too much on their depiction of life between hell and heaven and do not really know how to break out of this cycle of being in between both worlds. Personally, as the title states, they are hollow men. They have nothing of substance to contribute to society. They are too timid to be able to do anything. They have values that do not truly go anywhere because their personality prevents them from doing so. They value life and freedom, but do not move forward in attaining either concept. These hollow men are very much like plenty of individuals. They complain about their current situation, have high aspirations, but lack the motivation or initiative to actually get anything done. Their personality prevents them from doing so, but their inability to move forward fully stops them in their tracks.

Eliot does manage to effectively demonstrate his argument that contemporary history is an "immense panorama of futility and anarchy" in this poem. The dry setting that Eliot start off with gives a great start to the point that he is trying to make, however it is the characters themselves, the hollow men, that eventually prove his point of futility. These men are essentially useless, "Headpiece filled with straw." They do not contribute anything to society, nor do they even want to. They think about everything so much that nothing actually gets done, "Paralyzed force, gesture without motion." This in fact is what the entire poem points out. They have the ideas in mind, but the lack the initiative to go through with everything. They are timid, shy, and lack confidence. This only adds on to the concept of futility.

They dream of a kingdom, one that refers to death. Eliot makes this connection to tie together the idea of anarchy with one of a negative kind. Even their thoughts of a more royal life, one where anarchy does seem futile however, is evaded by their personalities. They avoid death because they are too afraid to get anything done, even if that task is simply to die. The lines, "Eyes I dare not meet in dreams / in death's dream kingdom / These do not appear." The hollow men do not dare look at this kingdom in the eyes for fear of seeming inferior. Their personalities of having big ideas but no motivation to get them done contributes to the notion of Eliot's thought that this poem portrays an immense panorama of futility and anarchy.

c)

Both poems "Dulce et Decorum Est" and "The Rear Guard" depict the horrors of war. They do not try to hide the fact that war is dangerous and that it in fact does bring death and suffering to all those who become involved. In "Dulce et Decorum Est," the narrator states how vividly he remembers the death that war brings. This vivid depiction brings the reader right into the poem and always them for a second to personally understand the horrors behind fighting, "...watch the white eyes writhing in his face, / His hanging face...the blood / Come gargling from the froth corrupted lungs." This line alone brings such a real picture to mind that when one thinks of war, this is what will stick out the most in this poem. The horror is strongly felt. In "The Rear Guard" this same mechanism of reality is also seen, "...Terribly glaring up, whose eyes yet wore / Agony dying hard ten days before / and fists of fingers clutched a blackening wound." This connection to "the eyes" tie both bring a more human aspect to war. It does not glorify soldiers, but actually brings reality to what they truly go through during war.

Although both poems do share many concepts in common, they portray their horrific views of war in different ways. "Dulce et Decorum Est" is a lot more graphic than "The Rear Guard." This poem was definitely the most effective in getting the point across that it war is something deadly and horrific. It does not in any way attempt to bring any sort of glory to being a soldier. It is effective in portraying the horrors by depicting a scene that can only be thought of as coming straight from a movie. From the beginning of the poem, "Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots / but limped on, blood-shod" this idea that being a soldier was something that they were already tired of and that they no longer thought they could handle was made clear. This scene can almost be predicted. From the author's description of the tired men, the reader can already assess that the poem would end tragically.

On the other hand, "The Rear Guard" can be taken as also being a depiction of the horrors of war, but the author was not as descriptive as in "Dulce et Decorum Est." There is a more calm feeling to his description. This is not to say that the author was portraying war as being a patriotic act, but the author was not as graphical in his describing what the soldiers were seeing and going through. The reader is more connected to the actions of the poem and not the fact that someone is dying. He ends his poem by referencing "hell" and the reader is left wondering whether the hell that he is referring to the war that is being left behind, or to dying itself.

3) Rites of Passage Activity

In speaking to my grandmother, I was able to find out what it was that she took when she first left her home. At the age of sixteen, she was married to my grandfather and was getting ready to start her knew life as a wife and very soon, as a mother. However, she took something she still had to this day: a golden necklace with a golden rose pendent. She never let go of this item. It was given to her by her mother when she was just seven years old. She told me that she has never taken it off since then. It gave her the confidence that she needed throughout her childhood and adolescent years. At one point in her childhood, she even thought of it as possessing magical powers. Having this necklace around her neck gave her a sense of protection. It assured her that she was forever taken care of and that she had no reason to fear anything. She said that it was nothing practical about the necklace, it was the sense of self-confidence that it helped her attain that made it so special. Upon leaving her home, she knew that she needed to hold on to this necklace more than anything, so even on her wedding day, she wore it with her dress. It continues to hold a special meaning and has always been with her.

When I leave home, I expect to take my journal with me. It does not hold any special meaning as my grandmother's necklace does to her, but it is just as special and holy to me. It holds my greatest thoughts and my biggest fears. It gives me comfort in knowing that whenever there is something that I want to express, something that I want to let go of, I could easily go and write it down in my journal. It provides me with the comfort that I know that I will need once I leave my comfort zone.

4) World War II (Read p. 849-851)

a)

Churchill chooses to portray his speech in a certain way in order to get the attention of those who he wanted to appeal to. The techniques used by Churchill overlapped greatly, but that only added to their effectiveness. First and foremost, his word choice was very particular. In the line, "You ask, What is our aim? I can answer in one word: Victory -- victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for with victory there is no survival." The word "victory" is a very strong word with a positive connotation. It immediately gives a sense of positivity and reinforcement. Using this word allows this statement to be more persuasive, since it is full of positive vibes. Another technique of repetition is also seen in the line mentioned previously. Repeating this strong word, that already is associated with positivity and strength, allows it to be even more effective by repeating it multiple times in order to signify its importance. A third technique in this line alone can be seen with the emphasis that is put on the word "victory." Whatever answer was given, the word "victory" is the one that stands out. It is what people will remember when thinking back to the end of this piece. This emphasis allows this technique to be one of the most persuasive ones. It allows for an emotional reaction to be had about the situation. A fourth technique can be seen is a personal reference, which also incorporates the previously mentioned techniques. The line, "Let that be realized; no survival for the British Empire; no survival for all that the British Empire has stood for; no survival for the urge and impulse of the ages, that mankind will move forward toward its goal." In this line Churchill is calling for people to remember what the British Empire has always stood for and calls for people to act on the impulse and support its country. This technique itself is not as effective as the others, but in combination with them, it allows people to get persuaded. The perfect way to end is with a call for action, and that is exactly how Churchill uses his final technique. He states, "Come, then, let us go forward together with our united strength." This alone allows for persuasion as one gets caught up in the moment and wrapped up in his words.

b)

These three pieces are related to each other thematically because they are all portraying the eventual loss of life that comes from war. Fighting for a cause does not only raise patriotism and pride in one's country, but it comes at a heavy price. Individual's who go out to fight in a war feel honor for having the opportunity to serve and fight for their country, but at the end of the day, it takes a toll on society. Those who are forced to fight directly feel the horrors of war, which the first two pieces clearly depict, and they can sometimes lose faith, which the third piece addresses. Their themes overlap in their portrayal of war as being something that comes at a heavy toll and at a high price.

6) Your Reflections on the Holocaust

Reading about the inhumane acts committed on human beings is sickening. It makes me feel horrible for all those hundreds of thousands of people that suffered so much for such a foolish ideology by a man who was clearly not in his right mind. Thinking about the horrific things that were done to individuals is just so hard to understand. I cannot imagine what would go through a person's head in order to go through with orders to kill someone in such a drastic way. To take the lives of innocent people who had no choice in their lifestyle, makes this that much more impacting. The people who were murdered were everyday people who led everyday lives until the day the Hitler decided that their race was not of the superior one and therefore had to be eliminated. An entire part of the human population was almost completely erased from the world. This is what is most outstanding. To think that people were just getting killed for the sake of a thought that had no merit scares me most. Reading and viewing things about the Holocaust just makes it even harder to deal with.

It is important to remember the Holocaust because it is not the first nor the last genocide committed by human beings. The colonists who landed on North and South America completely erased an entire population from the Earth. Native Americans were put through similar atrocities as the individuals who had to endure the Holocaust. They were subjected to inhumane things that nearly killed them off completely. The same genocidal acts occurred in Rwanda where ethnicities were being targeted because of where they came from and what they believed. The Holocaust represents what the human race is capable of. It should never be forgotten because so many people suffered and so much evidence of this suffering is still present that it should remind people that there is absolutely no reason why humans should continue to kill other humans just because they have beliefs that are different from their own.

7) the Holocaust

a)

The Holocaust, from any perspective, was a horrific occurrence in our world's history. All the pieces of literature that describe these events manage to catch the pain, the death, and the inhumanity that went along with this moment in time. The different writings share their pain. They each portray the fear that individuals felt when going through this. All three pieces manage for the period to be frozen in time. They describe the pain and the tragedy well in each respective piece. A clear difference is in the way that each piece is structured. The poem, "Never Shall I Forget" is written in a more personal form. One that allows readers to truly envision the occurrences. Another difference is in the way that "The War" and "On the Bottom" are written. Both are longer pieces than "Never Shall I Forget" and they each have portrayals that are more personal, rather than general and poetic. This however is what makes them subjective. An objective viewpoint would never be able to capture this much pain.

b)

The overarching theme of each of these pieces of literature is the pain and suffering that was felt throughout this time period. A person can read about the Holocaust in history books or look up the facts behind it on the Internet, but no one will truly know what the people that were going through this felt. That is what each of these author's managed to do. Each different author wanted a personal portrayal from people who survived this so that they could project that pain and the suffering like no history book ever could. It was the uttermost example of the violations that the human race endured. The authors were very explicit in their mentioning this. By showing the readers that there are individuals who endured what no one was meant to survive, it makes the readers aware of their own lives and of the human rights they that themselves may take for granted. I believe that each author succeeded in doing so.

8) Freedom

Freedom is so often taken for granted. Many times individuals do not even realize that they are free because they are just so used to it. The history of the United States has been a paradox for the word freedom. The country was founded on ideals that would guarantee freedom of speech, freedom of choosing your own religion, and freedom, but not everything that someone wants to say could be said, not all religions are treated equally, and there is a heavy censoring mechanism in effect. Freedoms that I don't really ever think about are having the right to choose whatever it is that I want to do. I can go out after a certain time, I could go into any location without the fear of getting kicked out, and I could technically say whatever it is that I feel like saying because I have the right to. I have the right to got o school and get and education, and I have to right to choose whatever career path or life path I want to choose. I however still have to obey some rules. I do not have the right to drive a car without a seat belt, or drive a car down the highway at 120 miles per hour. I also did not, until the age of 18, have the right to go into rated R. movies or if I wanted to, buy cigarettes. There are freedoms, but then there are also limitations to those freedoms in order to maintain societal order. Everyone in the world should at the very least have the freedom to do everything that I just listed previously. There should be no limitations or regulations as to what is right and what is wrong. Everyone should be able to choose that on their own.

In many foreign countries, their freedoms are limited by either their culture or their religion. Country's where the dominant religion is Islam, have many freedoms that are limited only to men. Women are not treated or seen with the same respect that men are. This can be seen in countries in the Middle East, such as Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Bosnia, Albania, etc. In Africa there are also subcultures that limit the rights of children and women. Also, even in the United States, within certain regions, rights are also limited according to their culture. Some individuals have to follow certain rules because it is dictated to them at a young age. Upon conducting an Internet search the countries that came up in the first two pages were: South Africa, Russia, Turkey, Vietnam, Tunisia, Dominican Republic, Angola, Argentina, United States, Ethiopia, Congo, Cambodia, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Belarus, Albania, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Sierra Leone, Georgia, Colombia, Sudan, Liberia, Uganda, and many more. Some of these countries coincided with the ones that I had mentioned previously.

9) Defending Human Rights

In Ha Jin's "Saboteur" it was clear that an argument about human rights was taking place. The first human right that Jin addresses in his piece of literature being treated fairly. The police officer throws tea in the direction of the main characters and they then speak out about it but get arrested. Here the clear injustice is in not being able to speak out without fear of persecution. Another argument presented by Jin is the right to not be automatically judge without any evidence. The officers automatically assume that because the main character is a member of the Communist Party, then he must be someone who must be punished for choosing to partake in something that he should have all the right to do. A third right that Jin goes into is the right to get proper health care despite the circumstances. Even though the main character was jailed, he should still have the right to be able to get the health care that he needed for his hepatitis, something that he was unable to do.

The "Universal Declaration of Human Rights" depicts various human rights that everyone should be entitled to. The first one is the freedom of speech without having any fear for the consequences that may come. A second argument addressed is having a larger freedom for social progress. Regardless of female or male roles, everyone should have the right to do with their lives whatever they choose to do. A third argument presented is having faith without fear of being persecuted. Knowing that these human rights should be given to everyone is something that is stressed in this piece.

In "The Question of South Africa" by Tutu also presents arguments that in order to demonstrate the freedom that people should be entitled to. Tutu speaks about the essential human rights of having equal access to affordable food, affordable rent, and the freedom of religion. He states, "the authorities have increased the prices of various foodstuffs and also of rents in black townships -- measures designed to hit hardest those least able to afford additional costs." By stating this, he is arguing against the unfair treatment of blacks by preventing them the basic human right of food and shelter.

The best presented argument was by Jin in "Saboteur." This story allows readers to really feel what was going on and how the unfair treatment personally affected people. By writing a narrative about it instead of making a dry speech or a documented proposal, the reader was indeed able to feel exactly what it was that the arguments for human rights were actually about. Unlike the other two selections, "Saboteur" made everyone sympathize with the main character and understood his point-of-view. It put the reader more in touch with what was going on instead of just reading arguments on a piece of paper. It was because of this that it was indeed the most effective and most persuasive.

10) Modern British Poetry

The image presented in the first two lines of the poem "The Second Coming" allows for a foreshadowing effect on what the theme will be about. This image allows the reader to know that the poem will be addressing a sort of evil entity that is yet to be revealed. Given the time period that this poem was written in, the evil that the poem addresses is that of war. The statement following the description of the hawk, "The best lack all conviction, while the worst / Are full of passionate intensity" describes exactly what the World War I meant to people witnessing the tragedy. Those who had the best intentions were the ones that ended up dying, yet those who were the ones that had the evil intentions were the ones that prevailed because of their twisted determination. This concept is brought on by the describing of the hawk in the first two lines.

a)

Both the poem "The Swan" and the poem "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" are both elegy's because of their reference to death. "The Swan" is seen as an elegy because of its constant reference to dying. Although not explicitly mentioned, we can see that death is something that is seen as not necessarily being a bad negative thing, but more of a lamenting that life is gone. It relates death to a swan, something beautiful, full of life, and usually compared to life. By making this connection, the reader is left wondering whether death in this poem is necessarily being described as a negative aspect, or if it is indeed saying that death can come as a way to bring peace to the self.

The images that both "The Swan" and "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" portray allow the reader to see deeper into the portrayal of death. "The Swan" has a more positive tone to death's arrival, while "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" has a tone of resistance. The character keeps telling his father that death is something that should be fought. There is no need to willingly go with death, as living is more fruitful than dying is. Both poems personify death by making it a physical aspect. They make death seem as if it can physically be seen by comparing it to objects that have life.

b)

The metaphors in this poem gives the poem its meaning. In the line "though wise men at their end know dark is right" is referring to dying men who may want to end their suffering because they know they will die soon anyway. He says that they must fight till they could fight no more. A second metaphor is, "Grave men, near death who see with blinding sight" and it refers to being able to see what is good in all that may appear to be unfortunate. A third metaphor as a continuation of the last is in the line, "Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay" and it is referring back to the theme of the two metaphors mentioned. Despite thinking that life may be over and that death is soon to come, one might continue to fight and to become aware that giving into death is not the answer. I believe this poem to be motivational and inspiring. Having the power to resist and to avoid giving into death symbolizes so much for individuals and this poem is stating that it is okay to fight until the end, because life is more fruitful than death.

c)

I think that Auden interpreted the painting from a very positive perspective. Instead of seeing it for what it was, a boy falling from the sky about to die, it was interpreted as the boy falling because he had somewhere to go. I would not necessarily disagree with the interpretation; it is just a different way of viewing the tale and the painting. It has a cynical vibe to it, as the interpretation does mention "the forsaken cry," but by allowing the negative to be overridden by the positive ending, it brings an entirely new perspective to the tale that is so famously known.

11) What Makes a Good Story?

What makes a short story a good one is the plot. If the plot manages to keep my attention focused on the story itself and does not have me wondering how it can be improved, then I would personally say that short story was worth it. I liked short stories that keep me focused and keeps me wanting to read more. Always wondering what happens next and picturing myself in the characters shoes makes me want to keep reading and therefore keeps my interest in the story and at what's at hand. An interesting setting also makes a short story good. Whether it is in a fantasy world or in a typical neighborhood, being able to vividly picture where it is that the story is happening, makes it worth reading.

I love to read short stories that are actually short. When a short story is too long, one of two things can occur. First, the reader is left reading details that do not necessarily add any substance to the overall story. It makes the story drag unnecessarily without providing any enjoyment. Another thing that can occur is that the short story can be long, provide great details, but then abruptly end and leave the reader wanting more. These short stories would be better expressed in a short novel where gaps can be filled in and questions can be answered. My favorite type of short stories are actually short stories tailored to children. These are innocently written, with such vivid detail that a child could make a mental picture, and usually have a happy ending. There is something to be said about a short story that can bring positive emotions to someone, and short stories for children usually have the ability to do this.

The most important element in a short story is the plot. As previously mentioned, the plot brings meaning to the story. Without a comprehensible plot that can be followed through and can be pictured mentally, a short story loses its interest. A well developed plot will leave the reader satisfied and happy for having spent their allotted time reading the story.

12) the Modern Short Story (Read p. 956-966, 988-995)

a)

The main character of this short story demonstrates his vanity many times throughout the plot. To begin with, it is important to note that the entire short story is written from his point-of-view and his vanity is clearly demonstrated in his description of how everything is and how everything occurs. Any lack of insight or any particular level of insight can be attributed his vanity, as it is him who provides us with the details of the story. The first type of vanity that is shown is in "the state of being empty, idle, valueless." With this said, his first sign of vanity is in the description of the empty house at the dead end of the street. He doesn't even tell the reader anything useful about the house, just that it is empty and doesn't matter to him, so it shouldn't even matter to his readers. His vanity as "hunger for praise or admiration" and "exaggerated self-love" can be seen in his obsession with the girl. Nothing matters to him but his love for this girl. He fails to talk about anything else, he fails to describe anything but his love for this girl to the readers, not allowing the readers any other option for to listen to his self-absorbed visions of love.

b)

The outright talk about death is one that foreshadows a threatening reunion with her fiance. However, she is terrified of her husband because her husband is dead. She would not want to have a reunion with him, because in doing so, it would signify that she would have to be dead as well. This however can also be attributed to a hallucination on Mrs. Dover's part. This seems a more likely tale as it is described in this story constantly that Mrs. Dover is not doing so well. She is described as having "intermittent muscular flicker to the left of her mouth." This is already setting that notion that she may in fact have a physical ailment that may be causing her to hallucinate. The fact that the story also states that her "most normal expression was one of controlled worry" may be setting up the reader to think that she may have some sort of nervous or psychiatric disorder that is all in face causing this hallucination of hers.

c)

The best short story would have to be "The Demon Lover." As I stated in the previous question, this story has a great plot. It kept me wanting to read more and more as I kept going through the paper. It provided me with vivid details and interesting characters. The ending was great because it allowed me to think beyond what was written down. It left me able to speculate about what the plot's intention was the whole time. The length of the short story was also appealing. It was not long and did not drag on, nor was it too short that it was not able to provide me with the details that I needed to have a picture in my head. Being able to vividly view this story as a movie in my head while I was reading it, was the best part of it. This is what I would consider to be a great short story.