Good afternoon readers
In my ASTU class we have been discussing the first chapter of Klay’s novel “Redeployment”. The chapter we read was about a returning soldier, Sgt. Price, and his experience with the difficulties of returning home and finding normality with his wife Cheryl. Klay states that the major aim of the novel is to promote conversation between veterans and civilians. Klay discusses current issues of absence of speech, and most importantly addresses the root of the issue mutually shared between those who serve and those who do not: soldiers not wanting to talk and civilians seemingly unmotivated to genuinely and truly connect with the soldier’s experience abroad. Klay discusses how generating conversation is vital to our cultural understanding of war and I think Klay is aiming to reduce rash aggressive political decisions by creating an understanding of the consequences.
This reminds me of my Father and his relationship with my grandfather. My grandfather returned from WW2 silent, lost and disconnected, much in the way that Klay depicts redeployment in his novel. It took years for my father and him to develop conversation on the topic of WW2. Even though I never got the chance to truly know my grandfather, the impact he had on my father was massive. As a result he has taken a keen interest in the history of the world, specifically war. Over the years my father has developed a strong pacifist approach to life and understands much of the implications of war. A state of mind I believe Klay deems extremely important. I wonder if an increased understanding of the influences and affects of war were promoted in High School would result in the creation of ideals aligned with Klay’s.
Once again, thanks for reading,
Chase
Works Cited
Klay, Phil. Redeployment. Penguin Group, 2014. Print.