English Literature

English Literature

  • Submitted By: Sawan100
  • Date Submitted: 10/15/2014 10:06 AM
  • Category: English
  • Words: 989
  • Page: 4
  • Views: 1

Q. Mankind continues to wage war even though its consequences creed nothing but misery and devastation.Reflect your thoughts on this statement with reference to "A small pain in my chest" and "A Doctors Journal entry for August 6, 1945"

War is, without argument the worst collective experience humanity can get. It has destroyed cities and had left humans dead. Wars often result in human brutality, mass killing of races and intolerable horrors on innocent civilians. All rules And humanities are kept on the back and only thing that matters is victory . During the course of civilization of mankind we have only witnessed the gradual increase of destructions in the name of wars. But does it really solve our problem or issues for which we are fighting? The answer in most cases is NO. It only brings us devastation and misery.
Michael Mack has tried to send us a message about the devastations of war through his anti-war poem “Small Pain in My Chest”. This poem shows the pain suffered by the soldiers in a war, portrays the human spirits in times of war and crisis. The poem is based on the Vietnam War, a prolonged struggle which began in 1955 and ended in 1975. The poem is about a young soldier, who after the monstrous battle sat feebly under a tree as he had been hit by bullets. He beckoned the narrator to provide him water as he was feeling frail and weak. Around him was a horrific scene of dead bodies. The narrator noticed a blood stain mixed with the mud of Asian battlefield on his shirt. He had been hit by a random bullet and had sustained a fatal injury of which he wasn’t aware. Rather he smilingly told the narrator that he was not cursed like others who had met a horrendous death. He was fortunate for having just received a small injury. He tells him how he had valiantly fired at the enemy camp and gave up only when he felt prostrate and debilitated. He showed his gratitude with a brilliant smile which illuminated his face as he was overwhelmed. When the...

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