Conduct Unbecoming by Barry England
Conduct Unbecoming revolves around two important yet very different characters; Drake and Millington. They are both new to the army but have very different views of the regiment. When they first enter ‘the mess’ Drake looks about ‘as a man finally at peace’ Whereas Millington looks with gloom. Drake starts ‘Exactly as I imagined it would be’ whereas Millington launches straight into sarcasm with ‘how very uplifting for you.’ He makes a point that the place ‘haunted his childhood’, showing us that not only does he hate it but he has also been there before. We now know that he already has some connection with the regiment. When Drake says ‘it is like…coming home’ Millington replies with ‘isn’t it, though?’ We then find out that Millington’s father was in fact the colonel of the regiment until 1881. Drake obviously is in awe of the regiment and couldn’t be happier that he’s there. He tells Millington ‘You will find only military honours here. These are past colonels and holders of the Victoria Cross. That is the regimental tradition.’ This shows how dedicated he is (that he’s learnt all this.) He then comments in a rather snobby way ‘I think I should warn you Millington, that while I might, through force of circumstance, tolerate your imbecilities throughout our voyage together, you will find that they are not appreciated here’. Millington then tells Drake “I have no intention whatever of surviving my probationary period. There is a ship, the Doric castle, which sails for England in almost exactly three months to the day from now. I intend to be on her.” Showing that not only does Millington dislike the place but he has already got a plan, how he is going to get out of the regiment. We discover when Millington comments to Pradah Singh (the waiter) “I fancy I could do great service to a large whiskey and soda…” showing that he likes his drink, Drake quickly remarks “We may neither order nor accept drinks until we are properly introduced into the mess.” Drake is showing Pradah Singh how responsible he is and that he has really studied the rules of the regiment. When at last the Junior Sub arrives he asks if they Drake and Millington would like a drink. Millington jumps in with “…Just anything. I’m about to expire.” (More evidence that he likes to drink regularly) but Drake saves him by sucking up to the Junior Sub, saying “My companion is joking of course.
Brigadier Hatfield spoke softly. “If that report goes forward from here you’ll be in a bad way- at least returned to Canada for Adjutant General’s disposal, some second-rate kind of discharge, the reputation always clinging to you…” The Brigadier shook his head. “That would be a pity”
The Canadian Corps had just been given a new lease on life, whether they knew it or not. Canadian Major-General Arthur Currie and Lt.-General Sir Julian Byng and the entire Corps had been tasked with an impossible task in some opinions. Tasked they were with ...
I think Admiral William H. McRaven has a very good message which is that the little things count. He also likes to use a saying “a lot of little things, can amount into something big.” This saying truly inspires me to always try to get better, especially the little things. This chapter reminds me of things my mother says to me. He says that making your bed is very important because if you can get into a good habit you can get better at anything very quickly. An image that keeps coming in my mind is the love Admiral William H. McRaven has for his his fellow soldiers which he refers to as his brothers. He thinks of them as brothers because they have gone through tough situations together and they have always had each other’s backs. Having someone else’s back can be tough but knowing they have yours really helps and inspires them to help each other.
The stereotypical stance of Corporal Himmelstoss, a military officer, is presented as a physically undersized man who wears a waxed moustache, which ideally supports the many defiant occasions where he disheartens the young soldiers. Throughout the novel where he is sent into the trenches we accept his role of breaking the spirits of the young soldiers. However, we understand why Paul and Albert Kropp take revenge beating him up. It is through these instances where the reader can almost understand a character through his right and wrong actions. Remarque’s inclusion of such scenes in the novel acts out the bitter anger and disillusionment of the young soldiers.
In We Were Soldiers, the officers such as Lt. Col. Hal Moore and Sgt. Maj. Basil Plumley are portrayed as the men who make the hardest decisions, and the men that the enlisted soldiers lean on for support, advice and help. In Casualties of War, the officers were portrayed, as mean boss-type bullies who not only made bad decisions, but weren’t even somewhat respectful towards their men. These ideas hold a great part in building friendships and creating bonds between the men. Lt. Col. Hal Moore’s men were very close; they acted like brothers and stood by one another. Whereas Sgt. Meserves men formed cliques, and some soldiers were shut out completely from the rest of the squad. This showed that it is extremely hard to be successful fighters when all of the men are not on the same team. Due to Lt. Col. Hal Moore’s exceptional leadership, him and his men were able to successfully take down the Viet Cong at Ia Drang Valley. Small battles that are won because of good leadership and making the right decisions reflect positively on the United States army as a whole. And on the other side, the men who were apart of the raping and murder of the innocent Vietnamese woman were punished accordingly. Meserve received 10 years in jail and a dishonorable discharge from the army. Eriksson was able to go on with his life because he did the right thing and stood up for
Dereliction of Duty, by McMaster, is a book written to explain the why and the how of the United States becoming involved in the Vietnam War. The author gives military and political reasons for this involvement and how the decisions were made by the nation’s leaders, who led not with honesty and integrity, but through mistrust and deceit. This group, who led this nation into war, involved the President of the United States, his military and civilian advisors, and the Joints Chief of Staff. What happened can be summed up in this statement from McMaster, "The war in Vietnam was not lost in the field, nor was it lost on the front pages of the New York Times or the college campuses. It was lost in Washington, D.C."
Setting in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter is a powerful symbol used to support the theme of the novel. The first setting is the city of Boston. In this setting, the lives of all are on display to the public. As the story opens, the townspeople here await Hester Prynne’s appearance from her months in jail. In the city, the people’s private lives and moral actions are the topic of much discussion and observation. The people are particularly interested at this time with the moral failure of Hester. The matrons of the town have a particular “boldness and rotundity of speech” regarding Hester’s appearance before them (38). However, Hester is not the only person under the constant observation and judgment of the Puritan population. In reference to the situation surrounding Hester’s love affair, the people say that Dimmesdale “takes it very grievously… that such a scandal should have come upon his congregation” (39). Others still complain that Dimmesdale and the town’s leadership are too merciful, and that “at the very least, they should have put the brand of a hot iron o...
The life of a soldier in the Continental Army described by Martin was perceived to be bold and exciting. Martin’s own motivations and reasons for why he joined the Continental Army was because of his desire for adventure and travel. Martin like many young men at that time had in his mind glamorous ideas of what being a soldier would be like. According to Christopher Geist, “Many, including Martin, must have been drawn, at least initially, by the adventure of it all. His guardians prevented his first attempt to enlist at age fourteen, and he was envious of his young associates who had marched off to fight. "By and by," he wrote, "they will come swaggering back, thought I, and tell me of their exploits, all their 'hair-breadth 'scapes.' ...O, that was too much to be borne with by me." He enlisted the next year. Many a wide-eyed youth must have been easy pickings for recruiting sergeants.”
This relates to Of the Horrors of War as Duggan mentions the “mistrust and enmity for centuries to last…[,] where mistrust and hatred is rife” and how disbelief is seen throughout all warfare (Duggan). Both of these works portrays how suspicion and uncertainty is an abundance when it comes to warfare. Another connection between these two pieces of literature is the pursuit of revenge for those who have wronged. Remarque describes how the soldiers “seized the bed-cover, made a quick leap [towards Himmelstoss], threw it over his head from behind and pulled it round him so that he stood there in a white sack unable to raise his arms” and impotent to move (Remarque 48). Himmelstoss, the leader of the band of brothers, has been cruel to the boys and, even though these men are all aiming towards the same goal, revenge will always still be present. Draftees are “those who for their sense of revenge extreme violence pursue” and aim to seek vengeance and violators (Duggan). Although all fighters desire for the same objective, the idea of revenge will always be present due to the mindset of being seen as the
In this essay you will notice the differences and similarities between ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’ and ‘Dulce Et Decorum Est’. ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’ was written in nineteenth century by Alfred Lord Tennyson. In contrast, ‘Dulce Et Decorum Est’ was written in the twentieth century by Wilfred Owen. The main similarity we have observed is that they both capture war time experiences. However, the poets’ present these events using their own style, and the effect is two completely different observations of war.
Through the first eight chapters of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the reader begins to gather insight into the character of Reverend Dimmesdale, one of the four main individuals presented in the text. When considering Dimmesdale, the question arises as to whether he is a hero or a coward. Although opinions could vary, it is clear from the evidence presented in these chapters that Dimmesdale is indeed a coward. There are many details that could be pulled from the text to support Dimmesdale’s cowardice. However, what seemingly stands out the most is that he would not admit to fathering Hester’s child, he displays hypocrisy and he shows timidness towards Hester. One reason as to why Dimmesdale is a coward is that he won’t admit to being the father of Hester’s child,
He thought that by writing these stories a renewed interest in this way of life would appear; therefore, he emphasized the deeds and adventures of the knights in his version of the legend. To begin, Malory uses the idea of romance through concealed identity. The fact that Sir Gareth can still demonstrate chivalry and adventure while he is disguised is a true representation of knighthood. While knowing that he doesn’t deserve the way that he is being treated, He takes it anyways. Gareth demonstrates chivalry when he takes the quest to save Lyoness when he doesn’t even know who she is. At the same time, Lyoness displays romance when she has faith that Gareth will save her, though she has not even met him in her life. In addition, Malory shows an emphasis upon the Code of Chivalry. Though Gareth does not, in any way deserve the hate that he has coming at him from Lynette, he takes it like a true knight. At the same time, he is willing to die for Lynette’s quest. Even
The world we live in today allows us to speak, think and do freely. People can do what they want without the result of the type of punishment the Puritans did. Any unsatisfactory decisions would be looked down upon in the strict Puritan Society. During the 1600s, any rebellious actions led to severe punishments. One major conflict, that continuously dominates the events of the novel, is the constant struggle between “socially-constructed identity” and an “inherent-individual identity.” Throughout the novel, Pearl, Hester, and Dimmesdale show great conflicts within themselves and the judgmental people of the town.
Narrator, “He was not an ill-disposed young man, unless to be rather selfish, is to be ill-disposed: but he was, in general well respected; for he conducted himself with propriety in the discharge of his normal duties” (11). This section helped me understand Mr. Dashwood’s character and society’s requirements. This helped me realize that society's expectations and requirements are quite selfish. An example of which I took away was if you present yourself with propriety you would gain respect.
In conclusion, Charles Dickens, a social critic of humble origins himself, has conveyed his conception of a true gentleman, which is such a good conception that it is commonly used in our society today. He shows that you can only be a true gentleman at heart and if you are not it will be revealed. Matthew Pocket’s metaphor that ‘No varnish can hide the grain of the wood; and that the more varnish you put on, the more the grain will express itself’ very successfully delivers and summarises Dickens’ message, that no matter how much you try to, your true identity will always be revealed. It also effectively reinforces Dickens’ treatment of the Victorian preconception of a gentleman as misconstrued and mistakenly engrossed with social status, wealth, birth, and apparel.