Session 2
Page 72
Questions
- The Predatory Nature of War
In The Yellow Birds, war is repeatedly characterized as a living, breathing being that hunts those involved within it. The first notable personification of war occurs on page 3: “While we slept, the war rubbed its thousand ribs against the ground in prayer. When we pressed onward through exhaustion, its eyes were white and open in the dark. While we ate, the war fasted, fed by its own deprivation. It made love and gave birth and spread through fire.” This quote describes war as ritualistic, savage, and sinister. Kevin Powers manages to convey the enormous toll that war can take on an individual. In fact in this passage war takes on a rather negative vibe, as if the book is condoning the war that took place in iraq. (although I havent noticed them talking about all the geopolitical factors that lead to the iraq war.) 2. Loss of Innocence
One of the most prevalent themes of the novel is loss of innocence. We see this theme most clearly in Daniel Murphy’s character. Murph is an eighteen-year-old soldier who quickly becomes John Bartle’s best friend. At the beginning of the novel, Powers characterizes Murph as a young, innocent teenager that is always optimistic. However, throughout the novel, we gradually see Murph lose his morale and start to hold the same pessimistic views as Bartle. In addition, Murph’s appearance deteriorates as the war goes on, offering a physical representation of his gradual loss of innocence. Initially, Murph is described as having blond hair and blue eyes, but with time, his eyes fall farther into his sockets, and when he dies, his body is further mutilated to the point of unrecognizability. This is emphasized in the hypothesis that war fundamentaly <!– The Perseverance of Soldiers
The perseverance of soldiers is a theme strongly emphasized in The Yellow Birds. It is a necessity in order to survive the war. On page 116, Powers demonstrates this theme in John Bartle’s narration of a military operation: “I kept going. I kept going because Murph kept going and Sterling and the LT kept going and the other squads would keep going and I was terrified that I would be the one who did not.” The polysyndeton in this quote (repetition of “and”) creates an atmosphere of suspense and danger, suggesting that unity and determination in these soldiers is something inspired out of fear rather than confidence. From this passage, we can also assume that this feeling of fear is not something unique to John Bartlele, but is instead the fuel for every soldier’s conformity and obedience. –>
Passages
"I remember feeling relief in basic while everyone else was frantic with fear. It had dawned on me that I'd never have to make a decision again. That seemed freeing, but it gnawed at some part of me even then. Eventually, I had to learn that freedom is not the same thing as the absence of accountability."
-Bartle, chapter 2
Notes: Freedom Too VS Freedom From Its this marxian concept, there are 2 kinds of freedom, freedom to is the ability to do whatever you want its illustrated by this quote from better call saul “And you kicked in your own door because … you know … its a free country”. Freedom from is the freedom from things like unemployment or medical debt. Because these 2 sides of freedom are important, because you cant be free to make your own decisions if you have those things weighing over you I probably nailed it on the head with this.
"It’s lovely to think that snow can be special. We’re always told it is. Of all those million million flakes that fall, no two are alike, forever and ever, amen. I’ve spent some time looking out the window of my cabin watching snowflakes fall like a shot dove’s feathers fluttering slowly down to the ground. They all look the same to me."
-Bartle , chapter 2
This shows the pessimism of a soldier that has been in the war, has seen the horrors of it. Too many young soldiers die, people are nothing but a number, and when they die they are all the same, no one is much more different than the other in death-just like snowflakes falling to the ground. Notes: Destruction of innocence
