Month: March 2016

Overview

Standard

Hello readers!

It is finally our last ASTU blog! Looking back on the year our prominent focus was on trauma and memory. We read countless of graphic novels, scholarly articles, and novels that depicted the on trauma and memory, which investigated the social, personal, cultural, and political factors that traumatic events can have on people and society. First we read Persepolis where Marjane conveyed her ongoing struggle in the Iranian revolution. Next, in Safe Area Gorazde we discussed hoe an American journalist (an outsider) focused on impacts of the Bosnian War. In Obasan we observed Naomi’s devastating past that caused her to alter her perspective as an adult. This term we read many pieces of work where the underlying effect was to emphasis on the tragedies of War on Terror. In Redeployment we read bout how a veteran’s from the war suffered from PTSD and how he could never have the same life and be able to continue is daily life from before the war. In the last two novels we read, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Closer and The Reluctant Fundamentalist both characters were affected by 9/11 because they were suffering from the trauma. While focusing on trauma all year it is evident how miserable and dejected it can affect people. However, through these intense and bold stories about trauma it gives readers something amazing to read and keep in their hearts forever. Not only can “trauma narratives” provide comfort for authors, but they can also give readers a deeper understanding of the human experiences behind the facts and dates of traumatic world events. Through the terms the trauma framework varied but to the different scholars we fixated on. Most of the characters trauma resulted from the fear and vulnerability that was transformed in their minds. This fear was most of the time a result of the creation of some sort of social divide.

Reflecting back on all the novels throughout the year these traumas were based on countless social oppositions while also being unified through the emotions the characters felt. However, no matter where a person is in the world, or their race, or age every human has been brought up to have the same emotions. With these emotions shown it allowed our class to highlight on the meaningful viewpoints of all the texts and feel somewhat connected to the characters. With all the recent current events in the world today many individuals struggle with these difficult issues. Yet these issues allow people to be connected all around the world even though it is not a positive aspect. This is why through literature or any medium people are able to voice their emotions. These creates a community where people can have a sense of comfort reading literature so they can understand how other people are going through the same obstacles as they are. Trauma is something that will never be easy to cope with but from the self-expression from authors all around the world it allows these powerful experiences to be voiced. Finally, “Trauma narratives” connect individuals, which is such an amazing coping mechanism for people all around the globe and will hopefully always be there for generations to come.

It has truly been an amazing year in ASTU and I hope you all enjoyed reading my blog!

-Imaan

Redeployment

Standard
Hello Readers!
Last week in ASTU we read Philip Klay’s insightful, riveting, and wholehearted short story, Redeployment. This short story depicts upon the experience soldiers and veterans had when they served in the Iraq War. As a class we discussed countless aspects about the short story; however, the significance of the dog, Vicar, distinctively stood out to me. When I first read Redeployment I didn’t really see any importance to Vicar except that he was the  Sergeant Price’s best friend. While Klay tackles many different perspective of Vicar’s representation, I believe that Vicar is a metaphor for an Iraqi soldier. When Vicar needed to be euthanized, Sgt. Price thought he needed to take matters into his own hands and end his best friends life. With the connotation of Vicar being an Iraqi soldier it conveys how Sgt. Price’s emotional trauma altered mind set because he thought killing Vicar was the only choice to ultimately end his suffering forever. As well, the physical trauma plays into context because he used his rifle from the war to shoot Vicar intimating what it would be like in the war. Even though the brutal image of an owner shooting their own dog it was almost a normal aspect of Sgt. Price’s life. This extends to explain how nobody knows the feeling of war until they have gone through it themselves. This was probably something Sgt. Price had to do everyday when he was on the war zone, which made it a normal part of his life and something that had to be done. While suffering with both emotional and physical trauma Sgt. Price is trying to adapt back to the way his old lifestyle was yet he is extremely struggling to adjust to life outside of the war zone. In another manner, a close friend with my father served in the Iraq war. He did not kill his own dog although my father told me that when he came back home he was not the same man. My father could only imagined what he had gone through as he would tell him stories about the war but he would never truly understand every single obstacle his friend must have faced. Even though my father could not relate to his stories it was more traumatizing to hear because my father knew he could not do anything about it which made him feel miserable. Similarly, Cheryl felt like there was nothing she could do to make Sgt. Price go back to the way his life use to be. Reiterating the interpretations about Vicar I purpose this is why he believes that ending his dog’s life is his responsibility. This reveals that since his life had changed so dramatically he could never be the man he once was. Although Vicar is only one part of Sgt. Price pain and trauma being displayed after the deployment there are still so many aspects about his life that have changed significantly which I really enjoyed reading. This short story real made me ponder how the severe the affects from war can alter one’s mind set in such a horrific way.