War, By Sebastian Junger - 1575 Words

The novel War, written by Sebastian Junger, is the journalist’s perspective of events that unfold during his time in Korengal, Afghanistan with the American Army. Throughout the book, he retells his experiences of being shot at, the emotional trauma of losing a soldier in combat, the undeniably strong bond between soldiers, and the consequences combat has on family members. While this novel has some very detailed and brutally honest components regarding the war in Afghanistan, I found the insight provided by Junger on combat to be very interesting. Once I started reading this novel, it was nearly impossible to put it down as I was finding myself entranced within this world of war. It was because of this insight into the world of combat, although brief, that permitted me to better understand what soldiers actually experience in warzones. My previous knowledge on the context of this novel, as well as personal experiences, transformed my mindset from thinking critically abo ut the novel to becoming emotionally connected to the success of the soldiers. I found that the more I read this novel, the more my life experiences influenced my attitude towards the individuals and experiences as described by Junger. One of the biggest influences, after reflection of the novel, is my nationality. There are many stereotypes about Americans. One of the most known is being overly patriotic. I find that this particular stereotype is generally true, and patriotism is an immensely strongShow MoreRelatedWar, By Sebastian Junger1672 Words   |  7 Pagesparts of the country. â€Å"War† by Sebastian Junger, not only brings to life the scenarios of war and its effects, but also reveals the camaraderie between soldiers. â€Å"War† develops throughout a year in the Korengal Valley of eastern Afghanistan. The delightful, rough landscape is sharply chilly in winter and bursting hot in summer, the troops enduring in primitive conditions through long extends of pounding weariness punctuated by brief, nerve racking scenes of battle. Junger was right in the heart ofRead MoreThe Novel War By Sebastian Junger1483 Words   |  6 PagesThe novel War, written by Sebastian Junger, records the events in Korengal, Afghanistan with the American Army from a journal’s perspective. Throughout the book, he retells his experiences of fire fights, the emotional trauma of losing a fellow fighter, the undeniably strong bond between soldiers, and the consequences combat has on family members. While this novel has some detailed and brutally honest components regarding the war in Afghanistan, I found the insight provided by Junger on combatRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book War By Sebastian Junger1337 Words    |  6 Pages There is a very large majority of material written and taken down about the Iraq/Afghan war, and our libraries hold majority of these works of literature. This is a book review of the book â€Å"War† which is authored by Sebastian Junger and published by Hatchett Book Group in May of 2010. Sebastian Junger was an â€Å"embedded† reporter with the 2nd Platoon, Battle Company of the 173rd Airborne Brigade for Vanity Fair magazine, and was entirely dependent on the U.S. military for food, shelter, security,Read MoreRhetorical Analysis Of Sebastian Jungers The Cold Enemy 1386 Words   |  6 Pagesvideo that emerged appearing to show four U.S. Marines urinating on several dead Taliban fighters. Author, Sebastian Junger makes an effort to present the faults in the public’s reaction to the video. He composed such article dubbed â€Å"We’re all guilty of dehumanizing the enemy† on January 13th, 2012, in which he employs strategic rhetoric to emphasize the effectiveness of his argument. Junger questions the ironic nature of the public’s outrage; the American viewers prosecute troops for desecratingRead MoreAnalysis Of The Lion In Winter By Sebastian Junger784 Words   |  4 PagesJunger-â€Å"The Lion In Winter† Soap Stone Speaker: Sebastian Junger clearly expresses passion for the soldiers fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan. Junger is an award winning journalist and professional risk-taker who takes chances with his life by getting involved with all the actions necessary to report jaw dropping experiences. He clearly is a devout reporter who went as far as to risk his own life for his research and experiences such as going to see armed conflicts in Bosnia, Sierra, Leone, andRead MoreAnalysis Of James D. Houstons Farewell To Manzanar978 Words   |  4 Pages War has been a topic that is upsetting and off-limits for many. Although, it shouldn’t be. War has become a rising issue as veterans come back home. Authors use languages such as imagery, strong diction, and rhetorical strategies to stress the importance of talking about war. Some may also use personal experience to raise awareness of the effects on both sides of the war and to deal with post-traumatic events that happen to veterans. Often authors use imagery to portray how war affects ones lifeRead MorePost Traumatic Stress Disorder ( Ptsd ) Essay1778 Words   |  8 Pagesillnesses can benefit from a war type of setting where your life is on the line. Those types of settings can really bring people together and they can also destroy them as well. We can never truly understand how they feel unless we experience a traumatic event like the way that those individuals have gone through. These issues not only affect you, but they also affect the people around you. In the book tribe, they talked about a situation such as this were before there where wars in different type of country’sRead MorePtsd Is A Whole Body Tragedy, An Integral Human Event Of Enormous Proportions With Massive Repercussions Essay1553 Words   |  7 Pagestragedy, an integral human event of enormous proportions with massive repercussions†. Veterans returning from war should be able to overcome post-traumatic stress disorder by going to health professionals or getting help with counseling. What is PTSD? Post-traumatic stress disorder is a life-threatening exposure in which an individual experiences a flashback to a traumatic event, such as war. Combat often substantially affects the soldier’s minds, but post-traumatic stress disorder can follow afterRead MoreFuture Of Ptsd Essay1103 Words   |  5 Pagesnumber more than ever before. According to MedlinePlus.gov, a free website sponsored by the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, 31 percent of Vietnam veterans are affected by PTSD, as well as 10 percent of Gulf War veterans and 11 percent of Afghanistan veterans. Though the numbers of veterans living with PTSD are already daunting, the poor progress of research on improved medication brings out even more hidden evil. In a podcast with KJZZ, Dr. John Krystal, aRead Morephysical and mental effects on soldiers post-war Essay1409 Words   |  6 Pages Aldana Lopez Professor Birden ENC1101 16 October 2014 Returning From War After-Effects Is joining the forces of the United States worth it if a person cannot even live a normal life? Seth Rodriguez was in the army and fought for our country a few years back. To this day, he is having problems with aggression for petty situations with his own family. He loses his temper easily, yells, and loses control over his words not realizing how hurtful they are to his family and friends. He can’t be

Mary Read A Profile of the Notorious Female Pirate

One of  the few known female pirates, Mary Read (known also as Mark Read) was born somewhere around 1692. Her flouting of typical gender norms allowed her to earn a living during  a time when single women had few options for economic survival,. Early Life Mary Read was the daughter of Polly Read. Polly had a son by her husband, Alfred Read; Alfred then went to sea and didnt return. Mary was the result of a different, later relationship. When the son died, Polly tried to pass off Mary as her son in applying to her husbands family for money. As a result, Mary grew up dressing as a boy, and passing for a boy. Even after her grandmother died and the money was cut off, Mary continued to dress as a boy. Mary, still disguised as male, disliked a first job as a footboy, or servant, and signed up for service on a ships crew. She served for a time in the military in Flanders, keeping up her appearance as a man until she married a fellow soldier. With her husband, and dressed as a female, Mary Read ran an inn, until her husband died and she could not keep up the business. She signed up to serve in the Netherlands as a soldier, then as a sailor on the crew of a Jamaica-bound Dutch ship -- again disguised as a male. Becoming a Pirate The ship was taken by Caribbean pirates, and Mary joined the pirates. In 1718, Mary accepted a mass amnesty offered by George I, and she signed up to fight the Spanish. But she returned, soon, to piracy. She joined the crew of Captain Rackam, Calico Jack, still disguised as a man. On that ship, she met  Anne Bonny, who was disguised as a man, also, though she was the mistress of Captain Rackam. By some accounts, Anne tried to seduce Mary Read. In any case, Mary revealed that she was a woman, and they became friends, possibly lovers. Anne and Captain Rackam had also accepted the 1718 amnesty and then returned to piracy. They were among those named by the Bahamian governor who proclaimed the three as Pirates and Enemies to the Crown of Great Britain. When the ship was captured, Anne, Rackham and Mary Read resisted capture, while the rest of the crew hid below deck. Mary fired a pistol into the hold, to try to move the crew to join the resistance. She was reported to have yelled, If theres a man among ye, yell come up and fight like the man ye are to be! The two women were considered tough, exemplary pirates.  A number of witnesses, including captives of the pirates, testified to their activities, saying  that they wore womens cloaths at times, that they were cursing and swearing much and that they were twice as ruthless as the men. All were put on trial for piracy in Jamaica. Both Anne Bonny and Mary Read, after conviction, claimed  they were pregnant, so they were not hanged when the male pirates were. On November 28, 1720. Mary Read died in prison of a fever on December 4. Mary Reads Story Survives The story of Mary Read and Anne Bonny was told in a book published in 1724. The author was Captain Charles Johnson, which may have been a nom de plume for Daniel Defoe. The two may have inspired some of the details about Defoes 1721 heroine,  Moll Flanders.

Michael Lackey Beyond Good And Evil - 1784 Words

In Michael Lackey’s essay, Beyond Good and Evil: Huckleberry Finn on Human Intimacy, Lackey argues that Mark Twain s novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn seeks to destroy and abolish morality and considers morality socially, psychology, and politically destructive. While I agree with Lackeys points that accepting morality means rejecting friendship and accepting friendship means rejecting morality, in the case of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. I don’t believe such an argument adequately addresses the base of morality and human culture. In the course of this essay I will argue that morality isn’t a perfect pinnacle to base all thoughts and ideas off, but it is not a bad tool either. Lackey and Twain argue that morality is evil and as†¦show more content†¦I believe that Aunt Sally or another character, if they knew, would have stepped in and stopped Tom’s antics. I don’t think the way Tom acted reflects the morals per say, of a majority of people in this era, rather a â€Å"game† of a child. With that being said I do think that the view of morality that most people during this time had, allowed them to have and control slaves without feeling guilty. One of Lackeys major points in his essay is that Huck ultimately has to make the choice between friendship and morality. If Huck wants to be moral that means he can’t free Jim, and if Huck want’s to have a friendship with Jim then he will suffer a loss of morality. We witness Huck with this tough decision throughout the novel. When Jim is talking about his family and how he’s going to work his way to free them, and if that doesn’t work, steal them. We see Huck s inner turmoil. What had poor Mrs. Watson done to you, that you could see her nigger go off right under your eyes and never say a single word? What did that poor old woman do to you, that you could treat her so mean? Why, she tried to learn you your book, she tried to learn you your manners, she tried to be good to you every way she knew how. That s what she done. (Twain 82) Huck is clearlyShow MoreRelatedHuckleberry Finn Morality Analysis1856 Words   |  8 PagesThe Choice of Morality In Michael Lackey’s essay, â€Å"Beyond Good and Evil: Huckleberry Finn on Human Intimacy†, Lackey argues that Mark Twains novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, seeks to destroy and abolish morality and considers morality socially, psychology, and politically destructive. I agree with Lackey’s points that in the case of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn accepting morality means rejecting friendship and accepting friendship means rejecting morality. However, I don’t believe suchRead More Societys Struggle Against Its Savage Roots Essay example1914 Words   |  8 Pages‘light of development. Without the arrival of the light of the Europeans for use in comparison, the Congo would be neither light nor dark; it is civilization that creates the primitive darkness. The light of civilization in the Congo is depicted as evil, symbolized by the white accountant who is clothed in white starched linen amongst the white mans civilized endeavours (digging holes) set against the dark natives -crouched in pain against the dark tree trunks- who are starving and dying as theyRead More Heart of Darkness Essay2840 Words   |  12 PagesDarknessquot; the name itself implies a sense of unknown evil, and invokes thoughts of secrecy and mystery. It paints paradoxes of seemingly clear concepts and states, such as the mental condition of central character Kurtz, an enigmatic ivory trader deep in the heart of the quot;Dark Continent.quot; The setting indeed takes place in a region remarkably like the Congo that has led many scholars to automatically label it as such.( Lackey ) For the purposes of this essay, I will acknowledge suchRead MoreConsideration on Religious Hypocrisy and Morals in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn1795 Words   |  8 Pagesfor some of it as quick as I could to throw over my left shoulder and keep off the bad luck, but Miss Watson was in ahead of me and crossed me off. She says, â€Å"Take your hands away Huckleberry; what a mess you are always making!† The widow put in a good word for me†¦ (Twain, 15). This particular event, in the very beginning of the novel, demonstrates how two people of the same religion can be opposites on the spectrum on how they treat people like Huck. On one side, unkind, severe Miss Watson, hadRead MoreLooking for Richard Transcript11989 Words   |  48 PagesJapan next. - To Japan, maybe, is a quest. It has always been a dream of mine... ... to communicate how I feel about Shakespeare to other people. So I asked my friend Frederic Kimball, who is an actor and a writer... ... and also our colleagues Michael Hadge... ... and James Bulleit, to join me. And by taking this one play, Richard III... ... analyzing it, approaching it from different angles... ... putting on costumes, playing out scenes... ... we could communicate both our passià ³nRead MoreProject Mgmt296381 Words   |  1186 Pagesfeedback received from both students and teachers, which is deeply appreciated. As a result of the this feedback, the following changes have been made to the fifth edition: †¢ Restructuring of text to include four supplemental chapters that cover topics beyond the project management core. †¢ Inclusion of a supplemental chapter on agile project management which has enjoyed success on new product and software development projects. †¢ Terms and concepts have been updated to be consistent with the fourth edition

Structure and Function of Self Alienation †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Structure and Function of Self Alienation. Answer: Introduction: A novella by Franz Kafka, The Metamorphosis is one of the most recognized, seminal works of fiction, published in the year of 1915, that depicts the horrendous and yet absurd transformation of the travelling salesman Gregor Samsa (Rhodes Westwood, 2016). However, what strikes to be more absurd here than the horrendous transformation of Gregor, is the transformation of Gregors sister Grete, and the entire family, who push helpless Gregor to the path of self-alienation, misery and ultimately death. In the post modern era, the literary discourse has primarily revolved around the trauma and existential pain of isolation of the protagonists, in a materialistic society, where the family values, social norms or ideal virtues are deemed to be futile rituals. Marxism and Existentialism, depicted a human as an alienated being, unable to seek out any distinct meaning in life, deprived of the essential humanity that defines man, and is estranged from the community at large (Sokel, 1956). Accord ingly, it would be discreet to consider the transformation of Gregor into a vermin, as a literary metaphor of an alienated man, who has lost his human identity, while working in a mindless society, having lost the meaning of family life. In the works of noted literary artists, such as Feuerbach, Schiller or Marx, man has continually being reiterated as an isolated, self-alienated being, who has lost his meaning in life, while residing in a materialistic society that relies on the exploitation of labor. According to Marx, a work should be done for the sake of ones own pleasure that helps a man to distinguish his productivity from animal productivity. In a materialistic, profit-driven world, a human is compelled to work for longer hours, against his pleasure and he has to work mechanically, without using his creative instinct. In the story, much before the physical estrangement of Gregor occurs from his bodily being, the reader can understand that he has been estranged from his own self, owing to the fact that he has been pre-occupied in his all-consuming work. Marx has earlier already spoken of the externalization human being encounters, in a solely materialistic, capitalistic economy, whereby a human being loses the essence of his being, and is dwindled to a merely mindless animal. The Marxists already claimed that a work done for the pleasure of the doer can be a liberating experience, and yet if the work is being forcefully imposed upon someone out of economic necessity, then the worker is essentially alienated not only from the society, but he is also estranged from the humanity at large. Thus, as pointed out by critics, that Gregor Samsas transformation into a vermin presents self-alienation in a literal way (Sokel, 1983). In the story The Metamorphosis, the protagonist himself has been found to complain against the burden of his unbearable work, and instead of feeling engaged, he feels alienated, exhausted and oppressed. He exclaims with utmost self-pity, "what a grueling job I've picked! Day in, day out - on the road, although at the same time, he seems to be obsessed with the materialistic aims in life, as he is also found to feel proud that he has been able to provide such a life in so nice an apartment to his parents and sister (Sokel, 1983). In fact, there is no gain stating that Gregors metamorphosis literally enacts the loss of self (Sokel, 1983 pp 487). However, a human being is supposed to be self-liberated, free to choose his life, make his own decisions, and think creatively, while cherishing a free, self-chosen life, and Kafkas Gregor is just another man in a capitalist economy, whose life is run by machine, clicks and watches. The grandeur of the human life finds no expression in todays world, and consequently Gregor was transformed into a pest much before the metamorphosis occurred. Gregor, after the metamorphosis stands unsteady, unable to control his legs, and he stands representative of the men of a capitalistic society, where each human being has lost their meaning or control in life, and are merely driven and domineered by the mechanism of a materialistic society. In the story also, one can find Gregors boss everywhere, barging in his personal doma in, vehemently questioning and criticizing his parents child rearing skills with the worker wriggling and writhing under the interminable oppression of the society. The metamorphosis of Gregor is likened to a test whereby Gregor intends to examine their love and integrity of his family members towards him, and his tragedy lies in their inability to pass the test. Kafka unveils a world, that is relentless and monstrous in its insensibility to anything that fails to offer monetary benefits to the residents of the society. Despite the intense dissatisfaction of Gregor with the work he does, he strives to continue his hated bondage for the sake of repaying his fathers debt, which his father owes his employer. However, as his metamorphosis intervenes with his job, Gregor yearns more and more for human contact, and yet his parents start alienating start losing their empathy for the burdensome insect. Apart from the literal dehumanization of the protagonist, the metaphorical dehumanization that Gregors family undergoes is being starkly portrayed in the story. While the father inflicts wound on Gregor with an apple that literally rots and festers in his flesh, his sister tells his parents how his burdensome brother should die. As it is evident that in Kafkas world, love fails to overcome horror, and the beauty condemns the beast (Sokel, 1983 pp 204). A capitalistic society that is driven solely by materialistic concerns, will tend to replace humanity by monetary concerns, and the same holds truth for Gregors family (Straus, 1989). As long as Gregor was working hard enough allowing his sister to dress nicely and sleep for longer hours, the sister was supportive of her brother. As soon as the brother, so far working hard, loses his capacity to appease the needs and desires of the family, the family turns back on him. As soon as the brother ruins the violin concert of Grete, the sister refuses to empathize with Gregor and insists his parents that he requires to be disposed like any household insect. The Marxists themselves had earlier stated that in a capitalist society, driven by money and mercenary motives, the cessation of love, humanity and empathy leads to the death of familial ties as well. While Gregor has been pre-occupied in earning money for offering a luxurious life to his family, he has been losing attachments and bonds, and he realizes the same only after his metamorphosis. In a capitalistic society, love and integrity within the family start losing significance, as the son emerges to be a mere instrument of earning money. The stark oppression of the society impose inhuman pressure on the family members, who must survive or die, in absence of money. Gregors father gets himself in debt, and his financial crisis robs him of any sense of humanity. He starts behaving ruthlessly with Gregor, giving him a hard blow, throwing apple at him that gets imbedded itself in Gregors back. With the metamorphosis of Gregor, and his loss of humanity, the entire family starts losing h umanity and changes the attitude towards Gregor. Though their metamorphosis in attitude occurs slowly, their loss of human conscience nevertheless kills the protagonist. Even after the shocking death of Gregor, his family apparently shows no grief, and in his funeral, they are found to express the belief that they would be able to lead an easier life, being relieved of the burden. In an insects disguise, Gregor emerges to be a human being, while his family members, despite being humans have been behaving as insects, with the loss of their human conscience. The family turns dysfunctional, as Gregors beloved sister states with utmost indignation: Such an animal cannot live with people (Kafka, 2014). Thus, the value of a human being is apparently reliant on his ability to provide mercenary benefits to his family, failing which he is reduced to a mere burden. The values of love and fidelity are central to the concept of a family, and yet even for the mother of Gregor, it is being observ ed that her feeling of fear and revulsion takes over her maternal impulse. To conclude, it should be remembered that although the tale emerges to be an absurd story of a man getting transformed into an insect, the transformation of a young man into an insect suggests the impersonal and absolutely dehumanizing structure of class relations. Gregor emerges more as a proletariat rather than the son of the family, and consequently his only way of survival is possible by working laboriously. Despite his utter discontent with his work, he keeps on working hard to pay off the dues of his father, and yet the sudden transformation, in life diminishes his value in his family. As an instrument in a capitalist society, his family as well as his life abandons him, while the readers are left with the horrid truth, that a man has no personal value, and his value and respect within his family, lies in his exchange value. Not only the manager of Gregor abandons him, an action truly representative of his bourgeois class, but his family also abandons him, reiterating what Marx and Engels already stated: the bourgeoisie has torn away from the family its sentimental veil, and has reduced the family relation into a mere money relation". Reference List: Kafka, F. (2014). The Essential Kafka: The Castle, The Trial, Metamorphosis and Other Stories. Sokel, W. H. (1956). Kafka's" Metamorphosis": Rebellion and Punishment.Monatshefte, 203-214. Sokel, W. H. (1983). From Marx to Myth: The Structure and Function of Self-Alienation in Kafka's" Metaphorphosis".The Literary Review,26(4), 485. Straus, N. P. (1989). Transforming Franz Kafka's" Metamorphosis".Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society,14(3), 651-667.