American Literature 202
Evelyn Beck
The Development of American Society: Through the Eyes of a Student
Wednesday, December 6, 2006
Literary Analysis 1
This piece was my greatest challenge because I was having a hard time writing an analysis paper. I can see now that my paper sounds more like a summary. I guess I was trying to emphasize the conflict in the story instead pinpointing actions surrounding the conflict. If I wrote the paper now, I would use points from the story to indicate the strength of women. I would explain how women notonly stood together against infidelity, but what forced the women to join their forces. I was very impressed by "Turned". I wish that more women would stand up together instead of blaming each other, when the man is in fault.
Consequences of Infidelity
“Turned” was a fictional story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman that represented the pain, turmoil, and changes caused by infidelity. It showed the emotional struggle between two women who were used for the sexual excitement of one man. The situation brought resentment between the women who were once friends. This story described how the lust of a man can change the lives of all three individuals involved forever.
The story began in the Marroners’ home. It was a normal, upper class home. The couple took in a servant named Gerta Petersen. She was an important part of their family, especially to Mrs. Marroner. She loved Gerta as if she was her own daughter, and being a teacher, Mrs. Marroner took it upon herself to formally educate Gerta. The two ladies were left to take care of each other when Mr. Marroner had to take a business trip. During his departure, Mrs. Marroner found out that Gerta was pregnant. She collectively pondered how to address the issue until a mysterious letter landed in her hands from her husband. It was meant to be addressed to Gerta, but somehow their envelopes were mixed up in the shipping process. She read the letter, flabbergasted by its contents, and realized her life would be different from that moment on.
Everything was turned upside down, when Mrs. Marroner found out that Gerta was pregnant because of her husband’s infidelity. Mixed emotions swirled around the room when Gerta was confronted by Mrs. Marroner. The young girl was frightened and took cover to protect herself from the wrath of Mrs. Marroner’s anguish. Mrs. Marroner quickly dismissed Gerta to pack her trunk, and instructed her that she musts leave their home that evening. The two women go into their bedrooms rooms to digest the situation at hand.
Mrs. Marroner laid in her bed for a long while in disarray of the situation she had encountered. After all of her years in education, nothing prepared her for the situation that was right in front of her. She had never been a jealous woman, but at first she was pierced with envy by the youthful beauty which Gerta possessed. She decided to spend some time dissecting the situation. She started to consider Gerta’s feelings, and realized that immediate banishment was a little harsh. Gerta was innocent and unaware of the capabilities of a man. She concluded that Gerta could not have stopped Mr. Marroner from his advances, because she was so eager to make her family happy. Mrs. Marroner knew that Gerta was uneducated in the ways of a man, and it would have been easy to persuade her into sexual intimacy by someone she trusted as much as Mr. Marroner.
Now Mrs. Marroner was faced with a life- changing decision. She could either stand by her husband or stand by Gerta. She realized that her husband had taken advantage of Gerta’s innocence. She was an intelligent woman and could not stand by a man that manipulated women. She knew that this was her life’s conviction, and with God in mind, she concluded to take care of Gerta and the baby. She would overpower the manipulations of her husband by taking Gerta and the baby far away. She took the power from her husband by taking responsibility for Gerta and the baby. Mrs. Marroner left him with nothing but his own thoughts. Although Mr. Marroner created a rift between the two ladies momentarily, Mrs. Marroner was strong enough to realize who was really at fault.
Mr. Marroner arrived home to find that his wife and Gerta were gone. He didn’t know what to think until the days passed by and he still had no word from either one of them. He hired detectives who found their whereabouts. While traveling to their new abode Mr. Marroner was struck with anger towards Greta, believing it was her fault that his marriage had fallen apart. When he arrived at their home, he was surprised by Gerta’s newfound intelligence and his ex-wife’s cold gaze. In the end, he was weakened by their new bond, and was surprised that he had no effect on them.
This story depicted the emotional upheaval of the lives of those involved. It showed how one man’s supremacy conquered the innocence of a young woman. It also showed how he unwittingly took advantage of his wife’s companionship. Fortunately, Mrs. Marroner was a strong woman who was able to look past her own pain, and see the situation in its true identity. She overpowered her husband’s lustful endeavors by encountering the situation levelheaded. Mrs. Marroner took everything from her husband as he had taken everything from them. She left him alone to think about his character, which thrived on the thoughts of male supremacy and women as subordinate beings. Mrs. Marroner left him with the notion that women are not to be taken advantage.
Works Cited
Perkins-Gilman, Charlotte. "Turned." Heath Anthology of American Literature.
Ed. Paul Lauter. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006.
Consequences of Infidelity
“Turned” was a fictional story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman that represented the pain, turmoil, and changes caused by infidelity. It showed the emotional struggle between two women who were used for the sexual excitement of one man. The situation brought resentment between the women who were once friends. This story described how the lust of a man can change the lives of all three individuals involved forever.
The story began in the Marroners’ home. It was a normal, upper class home. The couple took in a servant named Gerta Petersen. She was an important part of their family, especially to Mrs. Marroner. She loved Gerta as if she was her own daughter, and being a teacher, Mrs. Marroner took it upon herself to formally educate Gerta. The two ladies were left to take care of each other when Mr. Marroner had to take a business trip. During his departure, Mrs. Marroner found out that Gerta was pregnant. She collectively pondered how to address the issue until a mysterious letter landed in her hands from her husband. It was meant to be addressed to Gerta, but somehow their envelopes were mixed up in the shipping process. She read the letter, flabbergasted by its contents, and realized her life would be different from that moment on.
Everything was turned upside down, when Mrs. Marroner found out that Gerta was pregnant because of her husband’s infidelity. Mixed emotions swirled around the room when Gerta was confronted by Mrs. Marroner. The young girl was frightened and took cover to protect herself from the wrath of Mrs. Marroner’s anguish. Mrs. Marroner quickly dismissed Gerta to pack her trunk, and instructed her that she musts leave their home that evening. The two women go into their bedrooms rooms to digest the situation at hand.
Mrs. Marroner laid in her bed for a long while in disarray of the situation she had encountered. After all of her years in education, nothing prepared her for the situation that was right in front of her. She had never been a jealous woman, but at first she was pierced with envy by the youthful beauty which Gerta possessed. She decided to spend some time dissecting the situation. She started to consider Gerta’s feelings, and realized that immediate banishment was a little harsh. Gerta was innocent and unaware of the capabilities of a man. She concluded that Gerta could not have stopped Mr. Marroner from his advances, because she was so eager to make her family happy. Mrs. Marroner knew that Gerta was uneducated in the ways of a man, and it would have been easy to persuade her into sexual intimacy by someone she trusted as much as Mr. Marroner.
Now Mrs. Marroner was faced with a life- changing decision. She could either stand by her husband or stand by Gerta. She realized that her husband had taken advantage of Gerta’s innocence. She was an intelligent woman and could not stand by a man that manipulated women. She knew that this was her life’s conviction, and with God in mind, she concluded to take care of Gerta and the baby. She would overpower the manipulations of her husband by taking Gerta and the baby far away. She took the power from her husband by taking responsibility for Gerta and the baby. Mrs. Marroner left him with nothing but his own thoughts. Although Mr. Marroner created a rift between the two ladies momentarily, Mrs. Marroner was strong enough to realize who was really at fault.
Mr. Marroner arrived home to find that his wife and Gerta were gone. He didn’t know what to think until the days passed by and he still had no word from either one of them. He hired detectives who found their whereabouts. While traveling to their new abode Mr. Marroner was struck with anger towards Greta, believing it was her fault that his marriage had fallen apart. When he arrived at their home, he was surprised by Gerta’s newfound intelligence and his ex-wife’s cold gaze. In the end, he was weakened by their new bond, and was surprised that he had no effect on them.
This story depicted the emotional upheaval of the lives of those involved. It showed how one man’s supremacy conquered the innocence of a young woman. It also showed how he unwittingly took advantage of his wife’s companionship. Fortunately, Mrs. Marroner was a strong woman who was able to look past her own pain, and see the situation in its true identity. She overpowered her husband’s lustful endeavors by encountering the situation levelheaded. Mrs. Marroner took everything from her husband as he had taken everything from them. She left him alone to think about his character, which thrived on the thoughts of male supremacy and women as subordinate beings. Mrs. Marroner left him with the notion that women are not to be taken advantage.
Works Cited
Perkins-Gilman, Charlotte. "Turned." Heath Anthology of American Literature.
Ed. Paul Lauter. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006.
Literary Analysis 2
If I could do this piece over again I would because I don't think I evaluated the difference between gender issues revolving around the Great Depression. I should have focused more own how women were left to take care of their families alone and how they were given second choice to males for job availablity. This was also difficult for women because they had been so dependent on men since it was a male dominate society. I should used man's role in society to show how women were left with much worse conditions. I enjoyed writing about "Women on the Breadlines" but I feel that if I would have spent more time on it I could have written a better paper.
Alteration in Behavior
“Women on the Breadlines” by Meridel Le Seur depicts the changes in human behavior of the female sex caused by the great depression. The characters are forced into life situations that completely change who they are and how they think. It was like “being a slave without the security of a slave” (Le Seur1732). This means that the women are forced to labor heavily without the security of a home, a meal, or a future. Due to their gender and the hopelessness of the situation, it caused the women to withdraw from social services and grieve inwardly about their destitute state.
Women spent the majority of their time in the unemployment office waiting for scarce jobs. They would sit their hours upon hours on the brink of starvation praying that something would turn up so they could get a bite to eat. Starvation changed the way women would normally behave. Some people became weak and depressed while others became enraged and mindful of their own existence. One young lady in the story became so fed up with being without work and unable to provide for herself that she got into a confrontation with the unemployment clerk. She rampaged and wept for any job because she had been without work for eight months. This stir caused nothing but harsh words from the clerk, who informed the young lady that her persona was not suitable for any job. This chain of events led the young lady out to the streets to sell her body as a last result. She was so completely crazed by starvation that she had no where else to turn. She was forced to make the best with what she had, which was only herself.
After all the dedication to equality, women were forced to look towards men for assistance in their time of need. This state of helplessness caused some women to readjust their beliefs about equal opportunity. Other women were forced as a last result to beg men for their protection. Women were ashamed to ask other women for help, so they would turn to men. They roamed the streets looking for men to pity their lowly state. Some women earned free meals and shelter from the cold. Others used flirtation as a way to seek entertainment to get into a ten- cents movie. The female gender was forced to use their sexual appeal to survive.
Although it might have been helpful for some women to receive a handout from men, other women were being deserted by their husbands and left to take care of their children alone. They would work day in and out, only sleeping a few hours a night, to support their kids. Most of them had to bury their children due to diseases amongst the streets. The story talked about named a woman named Mrs. Gray, who had worked herself to the bone. She was left by her husband with six children to support. She fought for several years trying to keep one of her sons from loosing his arm to tuberculosis. He eventually died with two other siblings due to malnutrition and hunger. The other children she birthed became drifters, and she didn’t even know if they were alive anymore. Her family life was destroyed by poverty and she didn’t have a future ahead of her because she had no money to spare. “Her eyes [were] bloodshot like a beaten hound(s), fearful in terror (Le Seur 1732)”. She awaited death with as much dignity as possible, but it was too depressing for other women to even look in her direction. They were tormented by her tragedy. The responsibility of children made the plight of the Great Depression much harder on women, because they were they primary caretakers.
Due to situations such as Mrs. Gray’s, women became fearful of their ability to take care of a family so they decided to remain single. Since men were not dependable as caretakers and children were dying of starvation and disease, most women determined it was better to not bring a child into this world. They felt there was a better chance for survival without baggage. These women would normally desire to have a large loving family, but the consequences of the Great Depression would not allow this to happen.
The story stated that the narrator was too ashamed to get in breadlines or take handouts. This was common to many women in this era because they were humiliated. They preferred to hide in a shack of some sort for days without eating rather than to ask for assistance from social services whereas men would freely stay in shelters and eat at charity diners. This behavior resulted from depression and low self esteem from this horrible state of poverty. Women seemed to take things to heart more than men, probably blaming themselves for their situation more than society.
The women in this story were gravely affected by society’s economical standing. That caused a decrease in job availability which made it impossible to lead a normal life. Women were forced into the streets like savages fighting for food and comfort. The hopelessness of this era left women embarrassed and incapable of raising a family. “Women on the Breadlines” truly portrayed the dreadful life forced upon women at this time in history.
Works Cited
Le Seur, Meridel. "Women on the Breadlines". Heath Anthology of American Literature.
Ed. Paul Lauter. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006. 1728- 1732.
Alteration in Behavior
“Women on the Breadlines” by Meridel Le Seur depicts the changes in human behavior of the female sex caused by the great depression. The characters are forced into life situations that completely change who they are and how they think. It was like “being a slave without the security of a slave” (Le Seur1732). This means that the women are forced to labor heavily without the security of a home, a meal, or a future. Due to their gender and the hopelessness of the situation, it caused the women to withdraw from social services and grieve inwardly about their destitute state.
Women spent the majority of their time in the unemployment office waiting for scarce jobs. They would sit their hours upon hours on the brink of starvation praying that something would turn up so they could get a bite to eat. Starvation changed the way women would normally behave. Some people became weak and depressed while others became enraged and mindful of their own existence. One young lady in the story became so fed up with being without work and unable to provide for herself that she got into a confrontation with the unemployment clerk. She rampaged and wept for any job because she had been without work for eight months. This stir caused nothing but harsh words from the clerk, who informed the young lady that her persona was not suitable for any job. This chain of events led the young lady out to the streets to sell her body as a last result. She was so completely crazed by starvation that she had no where else to turn. She was forced to make the best with what she had, which was only herself.
After all the dedication to equality, women were forced to look towards men for assistance in their time of need. This state of helplessness caused some women to readjust their beliefs about equal opportunity. Other women were forced as a last result to beg men for their protection. Women were ashamed to ask other women for help, so they would turn to men. They roamed the streets looking for men to pity their lowly state. Some women earned free meals and shelter from the cold. Others used flirtation as a way to seek entertainment to get into a ten- cents movie. The female gender was forced to use their sexual appeal to survive.
Although it might have been helpful for some women to receive a handout from men, other women were being deserted by their husbands and left to take care of their children alone. They would work day in and out, only sleeping a few hours a night, to support their kids. Most of them had to bury their children due to diseases amongst the streets. The story talked about named a woman named Mrs. Gray, who had worked herself to the bone. She was left by her husband with six children to support. She fought for several years trying to keep one of her sons from loosing his arm to tuberculosis. He eventually died with two other siblings due to malnutrition and hunger. The other children she birthed became drifters, and she didn’t even know if they were alive anymore. Her family life was destroyed by poverty and she didn’t have a future ahead of her because she had no money to spare. “Her eyes [were] bloodshot like a beaten hound(s), fearful in terror (Le Seur 1732)”. She awaited death with as much dignity as possible, but it was too depressing for other women to even look in her direction. They were tormented by her tragedy. The responsibility of children made the plight of the Great Depression much harder on women, because they were they primary caretakers.
Due to situations such as Mrs. Gray’s, women became fearful of their ability to take care of a family so they decided to remain single. Since men were not dependable as caretakers and children were dying of starvation and disease, most women determined it was better to not bring a child into this world. They felt there was a better chance for survival without baggage. These women would normally desire to have a large loving family, but the consequences of the Great Depression would not allow this to happen.
The story stated that the narrator was too ashamed to get in breadlines or take handouts. This was common to many women in this era because they were humiliated. They preferred to hide in a shack of some sort for days without eating rather than to ask for assistance from social services whereas men would freely stay in shelters and eat at charity diners. This behavior resulted from depression and low self esteem from this horrible state of poverty. Women seemed to take things to heart more than men, probably blaming themselves for their situation more than society.
The women in this story were gravely affected by society’s economical standing. That caused a decrease in job availability which made it impossible to lead a normal life. Women were forced into the streets like savages fighting for food and comfort. The hopelessness of this era left women embarrassed and incapable of raising a family. “Women on the Breadlines” truly portrayed the dreadful life forced upon women at this time in history.
Works Cited
Le Seur, Meridel. "Women on the Breadlines". Heath Anthology of American Literature.
Ed. Paul Lauter. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006. 1728- 1732.
Literary Analysis Research Essay
I believe that this piece is my best because I was able to obtain alot of valuable information about the Vietnam War. It is depressing to hear how fellow Americans used the system to destroy the lives of innocent Vietnamese people. The imperealistic decisions of the United States has left a bad taste in the mouths of many foreign nations. I believe it is best to look back at past failures and re-evaluate our approach to foreign policy. This paper has helped me understand America's affect on other societies.
“The Distinct Understanding of Robert Bly’s Poem:
The Teeth Mother Naked at Last”
Robert Bly’s poem “The Teeth Mother Naked at Last” reveals the true injustice surrounding the Vietnam War. Bly uses graphic descriptions to plaster an image in the mind of the reader. This in turn develops a psychological response to the brutality occurring overseas and the undeniable false testaments being professed at home. The poem exposes the reader to the injustice and fraudulent actions of government officials. This poem walks you through the jungles and grass huts in Vietnam, and allows you to feel the sting of death surrounding the terrorized innocent farmers. The words of Bly also put into effect the feelings of protesters of the war. “The Teeth Mother Naked at Last” abstractly depicts the indignities occurring in Vietnam and at home during the Vietnam War.
Bly writes, “This is the thrill that leads the President on to lie” (2415). This statement symbolizes the dishonest actions of Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara and President Lyndon B Johnson. The American destroyer, Maddox, is on patrol off the coast of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam when it is assaulted by several North Vietnamese torpedo boats. The official statement of the government is that the destroyer had been attacked for no reason, but the Maddox had been in territorial waters and intercepting Vietnamese conversations. In fact, the attack happened after the South Vietnamese attacked two targets on the northern coast that was organized by a U.S. program involving controlled covert force against the Northern Vietnamese that was known as (OPLAN)-34A. The Maddox actually intercepts the message and is preparing to fight off the torpedo attack. Two other ships take the hit from the torpedoes and the Maddox remains undamaged. This occurrence is identified as the Tonkin Gulf incident (Prados).
In the meantime, Lyndon B. Johnson asserts to the public that U.S. vessels had been attacked twice without any logical reasons. This is determined to be a lie when, years later, tapes reveal several phone conversations between President Johnson and Secretary of Defense McNamara. They discuss the political repercussions of openly suggesting the ties between the OPLAN strikes and the attack on the Maddox. McNamara says, “I think I should also, or we should also at that time, Mr. President, explain this Op Plan 34-A, these covert operations. There's no question but what that had bearing on” (Prados). President Johnson informs McNamara that he is not to discuss OPLAN with anyone else including key Congressional figures. In their conversation they acknowledge that the OPLAN operations provoked attacks on the Maddox, but they lead the American citizens to believe that the attack was senseless. President Johnson, also, uses the assault on the Maddox as a reason to begin air raids in North Vietnam.
In “The Teeth Mother Naked at Last” Bly suggests a list of things the President has lied about during his press conference. He uses various items such as the population of Chicago and the weight of an adult eagle (2415). This describes the length and complete pattern to the President’s lies. He suggests that everything out of his mouth is perjury: “As soon as the President finishes his press conference/ black wings carry off the words [with] bits of flesh clinging to them” (Bly 2415). This line describes the mortalities revolving around the actions of the President. It is obvious that the realities surrounding these events were distorted to allow America’s next attacks to seem justified in the eyes of American citizens.
Now, America is committed to a full blown war, and nothing will stand in the way of victory. Many of the armed forces are actually told that the higher the death count, the better they are doing. Bly reiterates, “Kill them: I don’t want to see anything moving” (qtd. 2414).This is the command pressed in every soldiers mind. Unfortunately, many take advantage of the situation that explains for the severity in war crimes committed during the Vietnam War
. Bly writes,”This is what it is like to bomb grass huts (afterwards described as structures), [and] this is what it is like to kill marginal farmers (afterwards describe as Communists)” (2416). This is given evidence when a report from Harper’s Magazine interviews several ex- Tiger Force members, and they voice their haunting experiences to the world. The Tiger Force is a platoon that caused much heinous and unnecessary harm to Vietnamese civilians. Veteran Leland Williams says they were instructed to kill farmers that were known to be unarmed. He even speaks of an event where a teenage Vietnamese girl is forced to perform oral sex on two of his former platoon officers. Immediately following the sexual assault, they cut her throat and kill her. This is extremely unwarranted behavior in relation to the protection of American interests (Today I Know Better).
Another incident is announced by former Tiger Force officer Michael J. Allums that is completely grotesque. There is a fellow officer in the Tiger Force named Ybarra, who confesses to Allums that he slit the throat of an infant and took a metal bracelet from the baby’s arm. He thereafter wears the bracelet as a symbol of his accomplishment. He also observed Ybarra cut off the ears of Vietnamese men that he killed. Ybarra carried them around in a bag with him (“Today I Know Better”). They were a symbol kept to remember his victims. This is a man that was paid by the U.S. Army to protect and defend the American way. In no way are his actions justified. Allums states that during the war activities similar to these happened all the time, but he didn’t realize they were war crimes until he was away from that environment. Murder was received as an honor in any shape or form, and the more the better.
Robert Bly’s statements only tell a portion of the real stories behind the terrors of Vietnam. When Bly says “blood leaps on the vegetable walls” (2414), he is symbolizing the massive amount of murders performed by American officers unto the Vietnamese civilians. Bly jests, saying, “from a political point of view, “ democratic institutions are being created in Vietnam (qtd. 2414).This sarcastic statement really identifies the opposite actions being modeled to the South Vietnamese. The role model American instead portrays that killing and torturing all that exist in a society implies the democratic way.
It is conceivable as to why people were strongly protesting the Vietnam War. Robert Bly writes in perspective of the President in “The Teeth Mother Naked at Last” that the government should “not be deterred from the task at hand by voices of dissent” (qtd. 2415).The government tried to make the protesters seem like a bunch of hippies trying to escape the draft when in actuality most of the protesters were middle class working people or war veterans. In November of 1969 over half a million walked in Washington in protest of the war (Franklin). Bly says, “We all feel like tires being run down roads under heavy cars” (2417). This describes the immense pain in the hearts of American citizens at this time who are being represented by an evil beast demanding another bloody victory.
The poem sheds light on the realities of the Vietnam War. Robert Bly does an excellent job of using words to paint a picture of the destruction caused by the US military. This poem provides a piece of the puzzle in comparison to the harsh truths uncovered from the Vietnam War. During this Cold War era, American citizens are persuaded to believe that the war is just and necessary when the truth reveals that it was forced and unorthodox. Unfortunately, the innocent have to suffer from the imperials’ horrific decisions. Robert Bly allows the reader to emotionally comprehend the devastation caused by the Vietnam War in “The Teeth Mother Naked at Last”.
Works Cited
Bly, Robert. “The Teeth Mother Naked at Last”. The Heath Anthology Of
American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter. Boston: Houghton Mifflin,
2006. 2413-2419.
Franklin, Bruce. “The Antiwar Movement We Are Supposed to Forget”.
Chronicle of Higher Education 20 Oct. 2000. pB7, 4p, 2bw (Academic Search Premier).
The National Security Archive. 16 Nov. 2006. The New Press. 17 Nov. 2006.
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB132/tapes.htm
“Today I Know Better”. Harper’s Magazine. Feb. 2004. 22-25. (Academic SearchPremier)
“The Distinct Understanding of Robert Bly’s Poem:
The Teeth Mother Naked at Last”
Robert Bly’s poem “The Teeth Mother Naked at Last” reveals the true injustice surrounding the Vietnam War. Bly uses graphic descriptions to plaster an image in the mind of the reader. This in turn develops a psychological response to the brutality occurring overseas and the undeniable false testaments being professed at home. The poem exposes the reader to the injustice and fraudulent actions of government officials. This poem walks you through the jungles and grass huts in Vietnam, and allows you to feel the sting of death surrounding the terrorized innocent farmers. The words of Bly also put into effect the feelings of protesters of the war. “The Teeth Mother Naked at Last” abstractly depicts the indignities occurring in Vietnam and at home during the Vietnam War.
Bly writes, “This is the thrill that leads the President on to lie” (2415). This statement symbolizes the dishonest actions of Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara and President Lyndon B Johnson. The American destroyer, Maddox, is on patrol off the coast of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam when it is assaulted by several North Vietnamese torpedo boats. The official statement of the government is that the destroyer had been attacked for no reason, but the Maddox had been in territorial waters and intercepting Vietnamese conversations. In fact, the attack happened after the South Vietnamese attacked two targets on the northern coast that was organized by a U.S. program involving controlled covert force against the Northern Vietnamese that was known as (OPLAN)-34A. The Maddox actually intercepts the message and is preparing to fight off the torpedo attack. Two other ships take the hit from the torpedoes and the Maddox remains undamaged. This occurrence is identified as the Tonkin Gulf incident (Prados).
In the meantime, Lyndon B. Johnson asserts to the public that U.S. vessels had been attacked twice without any logical reasons. This is determined to be a lie when, years later, tapes reveal several phone conversations between President Johnson and Secretary of Defense McNamara. They discuss the political repercussions of openly suggesting the ties between the OPLAN strikes and the attack on the Maddox. McNamara says, “I think I should also, or we should also at that time, Mr. President, explain this Op Plan 34-A, these covert operations. There's no question but what that had bearing on” (Prados). President Johnson informs McNamara that he is not to discuss OPLAN with anyone else including key Congressional figures. In their conversation they acknowledge that the OPLAN operations provoked attacks on the Maddox, but they lead the American citizens to believe that the attack was senseless. President Johnson, also, uses the assault on the Maddox as a reason to begin air raids in North Vietnam.
In “The Teeth Mother Naked at Last” Bly suggests a list of things the President has lied about during his press conference. He uses various items such as the population of Chicago and the weight of an adult eagle (2415). This describes the length and complete pattern to the President’s lies. He suggests that everything out of his mouth is perjury: “As soon as the President finishes his press conference/ black wings carry off the words [with] bits of flesh clinging to them” (Bly 2415). This line describes the mortalities revolving around the actions of the President. It is obvious that the realities surrounding these events were distorted to allow America’s next attacks to seem justified in the eyes of American citizens.
Now, America is committed to a full blown war, and nothing will stand in the way of victory. Many of the armed forces are actually told that the higher the death count, the better they are doing. Bly reiterates, “Kill them: I don’t want to see anything moving” (qtd. 2414).This is the command pressed in every soldiers mind. Unfortunately, many take advantage of the situation that explains for the severity in war crimes committed during the Vietnam War
. Bly writes,”This is what it is like to bomb grass huts (afterwards described as structures), [and] this is what it is like to kill marginal farmers (afterwards describe as Communists)” (2416). This is given evidence when a report from Harper’s Magazine interviews several ex- Tiger Force members, and they voice their haunting experiences to the world. The Tiger Force is a platoon that caused much heinous and unnecessary harm to Vietnamese civilians. Veteran Leland Williams says they were instructed to kill farmers that were known to be unarmed. He even speaks of an event where a teenage Vietnamese girl is forced to perform oral sex on two of his former platoon officers. Immediately following the sexual assault, they cut her throat and kill her. This is extremely unwarranted behavior in relation to the protection of American interests (Today I Know Better).
Another incident is announced by former Tiger Force officer Michael J. Allums that is completely grotesque. There is a fellow officer in the Tiger Force named Ybarra, who confesses to Allums that he slit the throat of an infant and took a metal bracelet from the baby’s arm. He thereafter wears the bracelet as a symbol of his accomplishment. He also observed Ybarra cut off the ears of Vietnamese men that he killed. Ybarra carried them around in a bag with him (“Today I Know Better”). They were a symbol kept to remember his victims. This is a man that was paid by the U.S. Army to protect and defend the American way. In no way are his actions justified. Allums states that during the war activities similar to these happened all the time, but he didn’t realize they were war crimes until he was away from that environment. Murder was received as an honor in any shape or form, and the more the better.
Robert Bly’s statements only tell a portion of the real stories behind the terrors of Vietnam. When Bly says “blood leaps on the vegetable walls” (2414), he is symbolizing the massive amount of murders performed by American officers unto the Vietnamese civilians. Bly jests, saying, “from a political point of view, “ democratic institutions are being created in Vietnam (qtd. 2414).This sarcastic statement really identifies the opposite actions being modeled to the South Vietnamese. The role model American instead portrays that killing and torturing all that exist in a society implies the democratic way.
It is conceivable as to why people were strongly protesting the Vietnam War. Robert Bly writes in perspective of the President in “The Teeth Mother Naked at Last” that the government should “not be deterred from the task at hand by voices of dissent” (qtd. 2415).The government tried to make the protesters seem like a bunch of hippies trying to escape the draft when in actuality most of the protesters were middle class working people or war veterans. In November of 1969 over half a million walked in Washington in protest of the war (Franklin). Bly says, “We all feel like tires being run down roads under heavy cars” (2417). This describes the immense pain in the hearts of American citizens at this time who are being represented by an evil beast demanding another bloody victory.
The poem sheds light on the realities of the Vietnam War. Robert Bly does an excellent job of using words to paint a picture of the destruction caused by the US military. This poem provides a piece of the puzzle in comparison to the harsh truths uncovered from the Vietnam War. During this Cold War era, American citizens are persuaded to believe that the war is just and necessary when the truth reveals that it was forced and unorthodox. Unfortunately, the innocent have to suffer from the imperials’ horrific decisions. Robert Bly allows the reader to emotionally comprehend the devastation caused by the Vietnam War in “The Teeth Mother Naked at Last”.
Works Cited
Bly, Robert. “The Teeth Mother Naked at Last”. The Heath Anthology Of
American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter. Boston: Houghton Mifflin,
2006. 2413-2419.
Franklin, Bruce. “The Antiwar Movement We Are Supposed to Forget”.
Chronicle of Higher Education 20 Oct. 2000. pB7, 4p, 2bw (Academic Search Premier).
The National Security Archive. 16 Nov. 2006. The New Press. 17 Nov. 2006.
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB132/tapes.htm
“Today I Know Better”. Harper’s Magazine. Feb. 2004. 22-25. (Academic SearchPremier)
What I've Learned
This class has opened my eyes to different events in the history of our society. The stories that I have read, even if they are fictional have pertained to the revolution of America. I have learned most of all to be open-minded this semester. I haven't always agreed with the decisions of the characters in the stories, but when you try to look at the situation through their perspective then you can understand their reasons. For example, "Hills Like White Elephants" depicts a women who is being persuaded by her lover to get an abortion. I totally disagree with his dominating attitude. I was upset when she agreed to consider his proposal. When I thought about it from her point of view, I could see her reasoning. I can understand what it is like to love a person so much that you are blinded by the desire to satisfy them. I can't say that I have a favorite story because each story has been individually exciting and informative. I will take the lessons I have learned from these stories with me for the rest of my life. It has been a pleasure to be involved in this American Literature class.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)