Examples Of Propaganda In The Thin Red Line

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Recommended: Propaganda effects in politics

Cory Williams
ENG2DO-N
2014/05/28
Mrs.Ramkhelwan

The Truth Within

Propaganda is an effective way to change people’s beliefs. But it can also lead people to expel the information being given to them. In the novel The Thin Red Line, The author James Jones illustrates that fear make characters negate the truth. Corporal Fife and Captain Stein could have easily avoided punishment if they did not fight the propaganda, The Japanese soldiers would have lived and the pacifist Welsh would have not had to suffer through ridicule and fight as a result of the soldier’s actions.
It is important to notice that, punishment could have been avoided if Fife and Stein were obedient. Fife questions Steins usage of propaganda on the troops and Stein reprimands him accordingly. “Fife, Who the fuck do you think you are questioning my authority regarding the morale of our troops?”(James Jones 219) Fife would have aided he negative conversation and the punishment that follows if Fife did not question his superiors. He also would have not brought negative awareness to himself. As a result of this Captain Stein now needs to instill fear into his soldiers so they do not question his leadership effectively changing what is truthful to them. Captain Stein’s reasoning for this is because he does not want soldiers to undermine him.
To emphasize the stress put on soldiers during battle, Fear is often used. Following the battle Jones illustrates that being fearful is beneficial because it questions your army training and replaces it with basic survival instincts give to you at birth:
“When compared to the fact that he might very well be dead by this time tomorrow, whether he was courageous or not today was pointless, empty. When compared to the fact that he migh...

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...st base immediately for training. This is fucking bullshit.”(Jones 98) Even though Fife was a pacifist America was losing the war so they had to force everyone to fight, creating resentment among the rank because soldiers all had different truths. Objectors were looked down upon. A mob mentality formed while travelling which effectively changed Welsh’s “Truth”. “Gory, Gory what a hell of a way to die” (Jones 134) this song was sung on ships to create positive energy while soldiers awaited their demise. When you are in a large group with the same thoughts, incorrect or not you believe it. This is what the case with Welsh was. Welsh was brainwashed by the mob and the fear of war. Causing him to reject his beliefs and destroy his values. Trouble and Negativity affect the thoughts and experiences of a soldier, Welsh’s comrades use this as a means to change his ideals.

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