Tim Meeker concludes the epilogue with,” But somehow, even fifty years later, I keep thinking that there might have been another way, besides war, to achieve the same end” (Collier and Collier 211). Fifty years after the war, Meeker reflects on his life during the Revolutionary War with Britain and the American colonies. He has been torn between the sides of war, fought with family, experienced deaths of loved ones, and other conflicts the war has brought him. Authors James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier express Meeker’s troubles and thoughts along with lessons that the war has taught him. Tim learned from the way war affected him that war is futile.
In the war, there are 2 types of people, Loyalists, people who support and follow the King’s decisions, and Patriots, people who are against the King and want independence from Britain. Even though Tim was not fighting in the war, he was fighting his
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grim reality. At the beginning of the story, Sam comes inside his family's tavern wearing his Patriot uniform that he had recently acquired when deciding to go into battle. After Eliphalet and Sam discussed the news about both sides of the war, they got in an argument about Sam’s reasons of fighting for the Patriots. Sam stated,” Sir, it’s worth dying to be free” (Collier and Collier 6). Father confronted him with his experiences and knowledge of the war, but Sam being hardheaded did not heed his father’s advice. As the book goes on, the reader will find that Sam Meeker is killed by the Patriots for stealing his own cattle and to be made an example of. As for Eliphalet, he was captured by cowboys and sent to a British prison ship. With no sufficient care of the prisoners onboard, he was diagnosed with cholera and died. The heroic idea was that Sam would die for fighting for his colonies, while the grim reality was that he was killed by his own side for stealing his family’s
In “Killing England”, readers are introduced to a supposedly novel take on the Revolutionary War through the unique perspective of the authors. The latest in the “Killing” series, this installment beckons readers into arguably one of America’s greatest eras. Using the voices of historical figures such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, the authors craft a story of drama and heroism.
“Because our church was the English Church, the people here on the Ridge seemed to be more on the Tory side and wanted to be loyal to the King. To tell the truth, I didn’t exactly understand what the argument was all about. ”(Collier Brothers 25). In this quote Tim knows that most people on Ridge are Toys, but he doesn’t know what side of the war he chooses. In the book, My Brother Sam is Dead, there was any times when Tim’s loyalty had to split between him and others.
David McCullough’s novel 1776 is a compelling story of America’s war for independence. We have all read chapters and heard the related history of the war of 1776, but David McCullough takes the epic story even further. The book covers the entire year of 1776 from the beginning of the war until the end. The author provides an extremely detailed description of both sides of the conflict both American and British. David McCullough is a renowned author and historian and has twice won the Pulitzer Prize for two of his novels; John Adams and Truman, and with reading 1776 you can see exactly why he is so celebrated. His
Robert Cormier opens Heroes with a powerful self-description of the horrendous wounds that ex-war ‘hero’ Francis suffers. This scene is confronting as it graphically details his impaired bodily functions. Cormier elucidates Francis’ physical and emotional scars upon returning to Frenchtown. The use of short sentences enhances the direct, intimate narrative voice of Francis which allows readers to feel them listening to his thoughts. Cormier provides a detailed brutal description of the protagonist, which has a great immediate impact and arouses our sympathy.
(Kierner 653). The author mostly focuses on women and paints a gloomy version of their lives before the Revolution War. The author presents a multi-faceted outlook of the women affected by this war. However, the main reason behind writing this book was to reveal how each American, not forgetting women, struggled towards America’s Independence.
In the chapter “On the Rainy RIver,” Time receives his draft notice. Tim doesn’t necessarily agree with the whole war but he agrees with some parts of it, so he really has no
Samuel Adams once said, "It does not take a majority to prevail... but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men." In Bunker Hill, Nathaniel Philbrick chronicles how the conflagration of the American Revolution would erupt from the embers of the past focusing on the great impact that those involved in the infamous battle for which the book is titled and the battle itself would have on the colonies and their fight for liberties. This is a vivid bildungsroman for the city of Boston, teeming with new thoughts and ideals, that would face internal conflict, which would later give the city the title “the Cradle of Freedom.”1 Setting aside the legends of the revolution, Philbrick presents not only a historic event in American history, but also the subtle, essential moments that are not limited to 1775 but are the underpinning “mechanics of overthrowing a regime” that “are essentially the same today as they were in the eighteenth century;” however, focusing on our mythic Founding Fathers, many overlook the true nature of the war that is present in every revolution.2
The author, Tim O'Brien, is writing about an experience of a tour in the Vietnam conflict. This short story deals with inner conflicts of some individual soldiers and how they chose to deal with the realities of the Vietnam conflict, each in their own individual way as men, as soldiers.
He states that “[He] would go to war- [He] would kill and maybe die- because [He] was embarrassed” (O’Brien 57). He soon realized that he should have escaped when he had the chance because it was better than experiencing the horrors and traumatic experiences that soldiers go through. Sometimes what society thinks can get the best of you and lead you to do things that are against your beliefs and morals. This is what Tim is trying to say through the book to the readers who might find themselves in similar situations.
One thing in the story that shocked me is how different our perception of the Revolutionary War is from the reality. An example of this was how ill trained the American army was at the beginning of the war. The army was undisciplined, disobedient, and motivated only by their paychecks. Many perceive the soldiers as valiant, zealous men, but it wasn’t until much later in the war that the soldiers rose to the occasion and became the warriors that we remember today.
He believes that their is a possibility that people are needlessly dying for a war that doesn’t make any sense. This makes him an outsider in his hometown because the way that he views this war is vastly different from his home town. Tim doesn’t get the sense of pride in his country for joining the war like his community does, and he asks questions about the war that he feels that his community won’t ask because of their patriotism, and viewing the war as something to be proud of.
It is only now in retrospect that the American Revolution seems inevitable. To the participants it seemed to be a long-shot. They were not expecting victory, always fearing execution for
The short story that will be discussed, evaluated, and analyzed in this paper is a very emotionally and morally challenging short story to read. Michael Meyer, author of the college text The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature, states that the author of How to Tell a True War Story, Tim O’Brien, “was drafted into the Vietnam War and received a Purple Heart” (472). His experiences from the Vietnam War have stayed with him, and he writes about them in this short story. The purpose of this literary analysis is to critically analyze this short story by explaining O’Brien’s writing techniques, by discussing his intended message and how it is displayed, by providing my own reaction,
“1776” is a story of war. This book chronicles the year 1776 and the different battles that took place during the year. Instead of exploring the political changes the year oversaw, Pulitzer Prize winner, David McCullough explores in a different perspective on the battles that occurred during the year. From battle strategies, to the lives of Major Generals, McCullough takes you through the story in a more realistic and factual perspective. “1776” offers an intimate look into the military aspects of the revolutionary war which creates a more lively and engaging literature. McCullough opens the book in London, where King George III appears on behalf of his people to announce war with the North American colonies. American patriots sought to overthrow British government that overexerted its power and pressed the American colonists, which manifested in the former taxes and troops. The American colonists began to protest and riot, which increased tension, eventually leading to the Battle of Lexington and Concord,
Political leaders in my opinion do not act on the best interest of their countries. Not all but some leaders, think only for themselves. Some political leaders abuse their power, one prime example is Kim Jong In, he makes it where North Korea revolves around him. He boosts himself up trying to make him seem higher than the people living there. Since they're so brainwashed they do whatever him says and is right there for him when he's using them and mistreating them. Another example is the government in the United states.