"Deafening", written by Frances Itani is a meaningful novel written by a talented writer. This novel demonstrates how people deal with war and having certain disabilities. Over the years this has occurred to millions of people who have become deaf or have had loved ones who depart to defend their freedom or others freedom. Frances Itani creates images, and contrasts them to show how there is fear and bravery with going to fight for someone's freedom and the frustration of being the loved one awaiting someone's return. Also the frustration of being deaf and having to deal with the uncertainty of your surrounding. This novel reminds us about the war time and how depressing everything is. We learn that faith and courage and friendship are ideal to continue on with disabilities and during a war.
Grania, the main character, was having a great childhood until misfortune happened at age five and became deaf due to scarlet fever. Most people will never experience this feeling but Frances Itani expresses it very well. Due to the misfortune, Grania is unaware of her surroundings and becomes afraid of the dark. Every night she either sleeps on the floor beside her sister or has to tie a rope to her foot and her sister's to feel secure and know that someone is there with her. She is afraid of the unknown and can only see the shadows in that fill the room at night. Due to the deafness, Grania always feels alone. Throughout the novel there are times when Grania just wants to cry. Even her first year at hearing school. "In the Deseronto school, she doesn't want to be separated from the hearing children but she is always separated. She sits at the edge of the room, alone in a double seat."(56) Grania will always be a tad behind conversations of the hearing so she must be sent to a school for the deaf. The loneliness feeling remains at the school until she meets Fry. With Fry, Grania has the courage to keep going to the school for the deaf and becomes happier. Grania matures and becomes less afraid of fears like the dark and she does not miss her family as much. Fry has become best friends with Grania and nothing can change that.
While working at the Red Cross office, she meets and falls in love with Jim.
Brian Turner's "The Hurt Locker" captures his personal and painful experiences during his time spent in war and furthermore, express the tragic events he witnessed. Brian Turner's poem is miraculously able to gather multiple first hand accounts of tragic, gory, and devastating moments inside a war zone and project them on to a piece of paper for all to read. He allows the audience of his work to partially understand what hell he himself and all combat veterans have endured. Although heartbreaking, it is a privilege to be taken inside "The Hurt Locker" of a man who saw too many things that should not ever be witnessed by anybody. Turner's words bring to life what many have buried deep inside them which subsequently is one of the major underlying problems facing combat veterans today. Reading this poem, I could not help but wonder what the long term effects of war are on a human being, if it is worth the pain, and how does a combat veteran function properly in a society that is unfamiliar with their experiences?
The book, Deaf Again, written by Mark Drolsbaugh, is an autobiography telling his life story which starts with a young boy growing up who goes through the process of losing his hearing and then, as he gets older, he struggles with trying to fit in as a normal child. When Mark was very young, he could hear fairly well then gradually he went hard of hearing until he eventually went completely deaf. Even though he had two deaf parents, the doctors advised speech therapy and hearing aids because they did not understand Deaf Culture and they thought that Mark would be a lot happier if he could hang on to his hearing persona. Throughout the rest of the book, Mark goes through a lot of stages of trying to fit in with everyone and eventually does find himself and realizes that being Deaf is not a disease, but just a part of who he is.
Throughout the life of an individual most people would agree that dealing with tough conflict is an important part in growing as a person. In “The Cellist of Sarajevo” all the characters experience a brutal war that makes each of them struggle albeit in different ways. Each of them have their own anxieties and rage that eventually makes them grow as characters at the end of the book. Steven Galloway’s novel “The Cellist of Sarajevo” exemplifies that when an individual goes through a difficult circumstance they will often struggle because of the anger and fear they have manifested over time. The conflict that the individual faces will force them to reinforce and strengthen their identity in order to survive.
Today, we have a lot of veterans who are coming home from war that are being displaced. In this chapter it talks about a Vietnam War soldier named Norman Bowker who arrives home from the war. In the chapter, Speaking of Courage from the book ‘The Things They Carried’ written by Tim O’Brien, Norman feels displaced from the world and everyone there. A returning soldier from the Vietnam War is driving around a lake on the 4th of July in his fathers big chevrolet, but then realizes he has nowhere to go. He starts to reminisce about his father, ex-girlfriend, and his childhood friend. Norman talks about all the medals he had won. He starts to think about his fathers pride in those badges and he starts to have a recollection about how he had almost own the silver star but blew his chance. He continues to drive around the lake again and again. He continues to imagine telling his father about the story of how he almost won the silver star, but failed to do so. This paper will analyze Speaking of Courage with the new criticism/formalism lens.
Written by author Tim O’Brien after his own experience in Vietnam, “The Things They Carried” is a short story that introduces the reader to the experiences of soldiers away at war. O’Brien uses potent metaphors with a third person narrator to shape each character. In doing so, the reader is able to sympathize with the internal and external struggles the men endure. These symbolic comparisons often give even the smallest details great literary weight, due to their dual meanings. The symbolism in “The Things They Carried” guides the reader through the complex development of characters by establishing their humanity during the inhumane circumstance of war, articulating what the men need for emotional and spiritual survival, and by revealing the character’s psychological burdens.
Ellen Glasgow said, "Violence commands both literature and life.” Violence commands Erich Maria Remarque’s literature in his novel All Quiet on the Western Front. Remarque accurately depicts both the physical and mental repercussions of war. All Quiet on the Western Front should be read by all members of the Armed Forces for several reasons. First, the novel describes in detail the worst case scenarios associated with war. By being exposed to such a portrayal of war, unprepared citizens would be able to make better decisions regarding enlisting. Second, those citizens who do decide to enlist would be better prepared mentally for the mental horrors that occur after war. Finally, All Quiet on the Western Front sets a standard for the patriotism needed to serve one’s country and the consequential honor that comes with that patriotism.
A soldier expresses feelings for the war, which he shares with nearly all other soldiers, no matter what the war or reason for fighting it. All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Remarque, depicts war’s effects on soldiers and how society has great trouble relating to the troops suffering.
With that knowledge the deaf character gained more confidence when communicating and was able to achieve bigger goals in their life then when they had little to no knowledge of how things worked in society. Reading about these characters just gave me a small insight into the deaf community but with the documentary ”Through Deaf Eyes,” has open my mind and eyes that they are people who can thrive in and change the world just as anyone can when they put their mind to
Gunshots whistle overhead. Their screams combining with the patterned explosion of guns, and land mines, enfolding all in a column of death and smoke. The symphony of sounds, seamlessly morphing into a ghastly melody: one of lament and agony. Harsh sounds saturating the shredded landscape with a nightmarish quality. Your tortured senses protest, their cries of indignation lost amidst the clamour of soldiers. Fixed and rigid in place, soldiers’ minds and bodies slowly succumbing to the inevitability of death. All previous remnants of glory, of patriotism- gone, obliterated by the incessant screaming of the battlefield. This is an environment to cause trauma for any soldier. Now try and image you are not a soldier, but instead a Code Talker. As hell rages all around you, you must possess the intense concentration and stamina to flawlessly translate encoded messages; your ears ever straining to catch every last audible sound. Your hands tremble as you hold the bulky and heavy radio away from gunfire, but you must put aside your terror and fear because you are responsible for the lives of countless Americans if you fail.
Taylor, Turtle, Lou Ann, and Esperanza all develop because of their relationship with and to others. An iron is sharpened when it rubs against another piece of iron. Similarly, it is through contact and relationships that character is developed. The characters discover that they need each other to survive, just like the symbiotic relationship between the wisteria and the rhizobia. Taylor learns to depend upon the help of her friends. Turtle overcomes her emotional shock through Taylor’s love and care. Lou Ann finds her self-confidence through Taylor’s encouragement. Esperanza finds hope through her love for Turtle. All the characters learn how to be like the people in heaven. They are “well-fed” because they help and serve each other. The interaction among the characters provides nourishment and life. They develop into better people through this interaction.
All Quiet on the Western Front revolves around the importance of camaraderie in a state of war and distress. Although the novel is most famous for describing the realities, horrors, and destruction of war, it embraces the ideas of fraternity and mutual support as well. The importance of camaraderie is expressed in the novel by aiding in preserving the soldiers’ humanity, providing increased morale to the soldiers, and improving the soldiers’ lives and
Throughout the story other character emerge, each one different however similar, trying to achieve a dream that may never come true or yearning to escape from their loneliness. Loneliness comes in many shapes and forms some in a loveless marriage others by the death of a companion yet others via the lack of social acceptance. This loneliness is the precursor to Lennie’s demise by the hand of his best friend and protector George. The isolation of a young woman, the need of her husband to prove his manhood creates a Pandora’s box of hate, lies and betrayal leading to the death of an
Have you ever imagined what it felt like to be completely cut off from the rest of the world? Left all alone with no power, no food, and no clothes? Have you ever wondered about how families living in war zones are mentally affected by war? In the novel Mister Pip, author Lloyd Jones explores the effects of war on the victim and perpetrator through isolation, fear, and trauma.
Most people believe my loss of hearing is my disability and logically that is true yet, my hearing aids were the real disability. I made them my crutch which affected my entire life but I was the only one who could kill my crutch. Only then was I able to step into the spotlight and be the star of my own life. So I happily dedicate this essay to my deceased crutch. Not only has it changed my life, but it has also motivated myself to conquer as many other potential crutches I might have as well as motivate others to do so as well. You may not know it but, everyone has a crutch. It may not be physical; maybe it's emotional, or maybe it's just something else so small you can't even see it and that is perfectly fine. The world is filled with enough troubles and trials already so just refrain from relying on that crutch. Chances are, you'll walk just fine without
Keller’s abilities had attracted a great attention from many people around the world. However, the most important reason that contributed to Keller’s international reputation was at all the works she had done for the society. Before anyone had ever heard of Helen Keller, people that were blind, deaf or handicapped were treated very harshly. They were sometimes an embarrassment to their families, and were often sent off to be cared for away from the rest of the family. No one ever cared if they could learn and be productive people. However, thanked to the example of Helen Keller and her victory over deafness and blindness, everyone realized that everyone has something positive to contribute to the world around them—if they are given the chance. In addition, Through Keller’s fundraising efforts for deaf and blind people, AFB continues to assist blind people in the areas of technology, education, independent living, literacy, and employment, which was a big advancement for those who misfortuned. Overall, if Keller had hadn’t challenge, she would haven’t well known, and therefore deaf and blind people would haven’t had chances to improve their