War
In both Saving Private Ryan and The Thin Red Line, a recurring theme appeared to be the impact of war on the common soldier. Through a variety of different scenarios, the viewer is exposed to the daily hardships that one must endure while in battle. The soldiers are continuously walking a fine line between life and death, and their morale and tenacity does not escape unscathed. The opening scene in Saving Private Ryan was very instrumental in illustrating the horror that is war. The only thing separating the living from the dead was quick thinking and a whole lot of luck. One man is shot in the head, but lives with the help of his helmet. As he takes his helmet off, staring at it in amazement and relief, a bullet finds his exposed skull, killing him instantly. Another man lying on the beach has been shot in the abdomen, and is slowly bleeding to death. As the medic and several other soldiers work tirelessly
"Why would I be afraid to die, I belong to you?" he says. It is the advancement of the army that counts. The love that he feels for her is so strong that he is not afraid to die, knowing that if he does, he will wait for her forever. The Thin Red Line paints a very similar picture. Given the relentless internal struggle in coping with the possibility of one's own death, Thich Nhat Hahn best sums it up with these simple words:"I hold my face in my two hands. The morale and determination of the soldiers was also greatly affected by the shock of what war was realistically, versus what American propaganda made it out to be. It was a role that not all the soldiers were able and willing to accept. Each man seems to deal with this life and death situation in his own way. It is by chance that a soldier sees the land beyond the beach. When faced with the realities of war, with the struggle of killing those who you have never even met, a soldier is thrust into the role of the hero and the villain, the captor and the captive. to clot the bleeding, the man begins to come around. It was all duty and honor and obligation to one's country. Both Saving Private Ryan and The Thin Red Line presented the common soldier's encounter with war in such a way that was heartbreaking.
Common topics in this essay:
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Acceptance Essays
