Essay on If I Die in a Combat Zone - 650 Words

If I Die in a Combat Zone Essay Men have always viewed a love or need for a woman as a weakness. This is especially true in the U.S. military, where violence is sexualized and women are viewed as unnecessary. In a way, this is done to make life in the army easier because their are no women in the majority of their time. During an occupation, the local women have to incur the wrath of men trained to see them as something below human. Tim OBrien exemplifies this in his novel, If I Die in a Combat Zone, where the soldiers in Vietnam mistreat the women used for sexual purposes like strippers and prostitutes, yet treat women in the villages as if they were their mothers. Soldiers at war, far away from the women in their lives, leads†¦show more content†¦When they said to watch for th ones with razor blades in their vaginas-communists agents (OBrien 103). The women in the local villages are treated as enemy combatants instead of people caught in the crossfire. In the My Lai Massacre, women are raped and killed and the crazed soldiers dont give it a second thought, but when a women VC is killed on accident by one of the soldiers, it is hard for them to watch her die. The soldier who shot her claimed he didnt know she was a woman when he shot her, as he stroked her hair and watched her die. I wish I could help her...God, she must hurt. Get the flies off her (OBrien 113). They take care of the dying woman by moving her into shade and giving her kool-aid. This shows the plurality of the soldiers and how they are both humans and killing machines. The soldiers in Vietnam objectify woman because that is what they were taught and it makes killing easier. The strippers and prostitutes have no respect and are treated like garbage, but a dying VC nurse is given shade and water and medical help. Women in Vietnam many times helped the soldiers, yet are slaughtered mercilessly in the My Lai massacre. The violence is sexualized by referring to their rifles by girls names and the constant sexist banter. OBrien displays all of these examples of plurality in the memoir, If I Die in a CombatShow MoreRelatedIf I Die During A Combat Zone Essay1752 Words   |  8 PagesIf I Die in a Combat Zone America is well known and hated across the globe for its involvement in foreign conflicts and affairs. The self proclaimed police of the world, America often goes too far when it comes to its involvement overseas. Many times the outcomes of these conflicts is overlooked and the effect it will have on america and other countries. Often times the American news media and politicians will claim that America s goal is to bring freedom and liberty to other countries. HoweverRead MoreEssay about If I Die in a Combat Zone by Tim OBrien996 Words   |  4 PagesOBrien, Tim. If I Die in a Combat Zone. New York: Broadway Books, 1975. Tim OBrien is confused about the Vietnam War. 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Tim O Brien is an American man who was drafted into the Vietnam War. O Brien is not a violent man and struggles because he believes that the war is wrong. He debates whether or not he should go to war or move to Canada to avoid the draft. Tim O Brien decides to join the army. O Brien uses his personal experiences as a foot soldier in the Vietnam War to conveyRead MoreThe Novel War By Sebastian Junger1483 Words   |  6 Pagesand 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 ins ight provided by Junger on combat to be interesting. Once I started reading this novel, putting down the book was nearly impossible as I was finding myself entranced within this world of war. The insight into the world of combat, although brief, permitted me to better understand a soldier’s experience in war zones. My previous knowledgeRead MoreAstonishing Imagery in Wilfred Owens Poem, Dulce et Decorum Est502 Words   |  3 PagesThe poem ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’ by Wilfred Owen portrays the horrors of World War I with the horrific imagery and the startling use of words he uses. He describes his experience of a gas attack where he lost a member of his squadron and the lasting impact it had on him. He describes how terrible the conditions were for the soldiers and just how bad it was. By doing this he is trying to help stop other soldiers from experiencing what happened in a shortage of time. Owen opens his poem with a strongRead MoreThe Vietnam War And Iraq Wars1214 Words   |  5 PagesVietnam War and Iraq wars have many more similarities then the common American would think. Both were fighting gorillas in a foreign land in a way that the soldiers were never trained or prepared for, against a foe that despise America as a whole. However I believe the biggest difference is the American publics view and attitude toward each of the two wars. As well as the attitude of the soldiers in each of the wars in 2001 after the September 11 attacks we had people like Pat Tillman give up a career in