Literary Research Paper

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Literary Research Paper

Introduction

The term, “literature” is derived from “littera” that means letter. It refers to any material that is written or printed, it also includes a factual reproduction of man’s experience that is embellished with expression. Usually, literature is confined to the realms of academia, where writing is considered as the core of arts. In reality, literature is a collection of ideas that tends to give pleasure and appeal to the senses of seeker. It is more like an avenue where torment and happy both readers go hand in hand. Freedom of perception and adhering to appeals is one of the basic catch lines of literature because it never restrict thoughts and let the demons of mind to explode leaving a soothing effect on both writer and reader. According to Fernando Pessoa, “Literature is the most agreeable way of ignoring life”. Literature plays a significant role in our lives, taking into account that it allow people to understand what cannot be expressed with words and say what cannot cross the realms of imagination. Literature is signified because of its multiple dimensions. It broadens the horizon of thoughts and expression by paving the way for critical thinking. Literature imparts critical thinking that laments what is hidden between the lines. It would not be wrong to say that literature is a leap into the past because it unifies words of mouth and the unsaid histories. One of the major aspects is, literature is a source of appreciation of cultures and beliefs where it is related to anthropology, history and other critical dimensions that encourages the analysis of world around. Literature is a tool to address humanity because human nature and other fields of life are brought in synchronization with each other. Although the tug of war between aesthetics and morality is ongoing, still literature is fulfilling both the aspects mesmerizingly.

Description

War is defined as a state of conflict. It reflects the period of fighting between a group of people and sometimes between state. There are different perceptions of war, taking into account that each aspect defines human nature in a different way. The most common perception of war reflects human chase of materialistic things, such as land, and money. Another perception of war is the chase of authority that reflects the struggle of power in order to achieve status. Sometimes war is about the struggles that a man makes for his survival. It is significant to note that the connotation of war is also well suited for struggles in the mind of people in order to shun the impact of real-life war and many times it is just the real reflection of struggle that is deeply rooted in the minds of people.

An example of this issue can be traced in the “O’Brien’s The Things They Carried” taking into account that war is an underlying theme but it is used as a reference to peace. (Blyn, et, al. 2003, pp. 189-191). War and peace are two opposite dimensions, taking into consideration that O’Brien infers that peace stands out in relief against the war. “The things they carry” is a collection of twenty short stories that create a line between fact and fiction, each depicting the ideology of war. The things they carry, (things) refer to the psychological burden that is carried by men after the war is over. War is actually an amalgamation of guilt, confusion, and despair that make up the mind of the viewers. In his notes, O’Brien incorporates his feelings about war by highlighting that war leave behind stories of death and destruction. One of the aspects describe war in the form of motivation, taking into account that usually war is termed as a negative connotation but on the same platform, it acts as a motivation for the soldiers who fight in the war. O’Brien makes reference to the "Vietnam War” in order to share the war stories carrying emotions of people. One can associate all humanly emotions with war ranging from fear to the shame (after losing war) that is depicted in the historical records. It would not be wrong to say that an apparent conflicting ideology sums up human nature where at one edge peace is reflected as utmost desire while on the other edge human comfort and desire for more asserts the initiation of war.

There are both ugly and beautiful associations to war, taking into consideration that ugly truth highlight the bloodshed and brutality that deprives people of their lives, disrupts the regularities that ensure safety of human life and deform the core ideologies of human existence. On the same floor, another picture has highlight how man is the product of external efforts where ample motivation and positive enforcement of valor and bravery are emphasized just to fulfill the black ambitions of brutality. O’Brien’s writing is also a reflection of ideology that is opposite to the spectrum of war, i.e. peace. It is highlighted that peace seems to be the most wanted thing where rare efforts are made for it and the prime focus of world is the initiation of war because it requires power struggle, one of the most potent tools to leave impression and record histories of human degradation. It would not be wrong to say that war is a single concept that is explained in terms of different concepts that articulate and form human existence side by side it is a platform to diminish human existence to leave a mark on history.

The same concept of war is expressed in “Dulce et Decorum Est?". The poem is written by Wilfred Owen who reflects the ideology of war with an aim to protest against the fact that war is “unmistakable”. (Hughes, et, al. 2006, pp. 164-166). There is a compact depiction of war, taking into account that this poem also reflects war but in a distinct way. This literary piece of writing infers war from the perception of a soldier referring to World War I. The poem comprises of emotion and feelings of a soldier while he was on war. It is asserted that it is “sweet” to die for a country. It would not be wrong to say that all illness and pain is taken for granted under the overwhelming situation of war where soldiers are enforced to struggle and fight and it is a pride for them. It negates the stance of peace taking into account that man is programmed in such a way that he cannot analyze another picture of war where there is massive destruction and bloodshed.

It is important to note that a letter is written to poet's mother from the poet where he expresses his pleasure in the hospital along with the fact that he is in the hospital because he is injured, side by side he asserts that he is expecting everything positive from his life because he is striving hard to fight for the victory of his nation and land. There is an underlying ideology of "war-supporting propaganda”. It is significant to note that the negative connotation of war is presented in a positive way with a lively approach towards life and human conduct that is synchronized with the rewards that are given for brutality and terror in the form of badges to soldiers.

Saving Private Ryan is an epic war movie that is directed by Steven Spielberg. The film revolves around the story of a soldier who was a sole survivor of the war. There is a different and somehow novel depiction of war, taking into account that war is termed as “a code of loss and deprivation”. (Spielberg, et, al 1998). War highlights the emotional appeals that are associated with an individual in terms of familial relationships. There are two different sides portrayed, at one side is the meanness of the search force that doesn't dare to look for the lost soldier and on the other side is family. It would not be wrong to say that there is a political framework as well that is associated with the movie. It is highlighted that a certain policy related to the engagement in war is narrated that highlights that the only son of the family will not be allowed to take part in the war and military services. In this movie, greater attention is diverted to the analysis of war affairs where an individual is programmed to perform certain actions and the outcomes such as death and imprisonment are to be accepted by the family. However, the issue of war is presented in a highly brutal yet political way where an individual is committed to serve the country but the same country doesn’t own an individual to get him back to home, in fact, there is no emotional attachment with the individual who is sacrificing his life for the sake of the country. It would not be wrong to say that military service is portrayed as an abstract job that is miles apart from the love of home and family, in fact, the underlying themes infer regret that is left on the members of the family.

Conclusion

Literature has different genres and each genre has the potential to elaborate on certain themes and subjects of human life. It is evident that literature and life go hand in hand, where a more realistic and sometimes fiction approach is added to make it more appealing. Literature is a display of life but in a highly unique way, that welcome every ideology and experience. It would not be wrong to say that literature is so diverse that it can cover almost all themes and subject of human life. War is termed as the most controversial topic of the present time where it is explained in terms of conflict only. Literature asserts that war is not confined to weapons only, in fact, it is a platform that enrich human experiences and unveil the brutal realities that are covered by the flux of materialistic desires. Three different works portray a single theme of war in a different yet acceptable way. These works enrich human experience by adhering to different dimensions, asserting a single theme is incorporated from the spectrum of familial relations, services, human life and the experiences that are concerned with war. In one of the writing, war is highlighted in contradiction to the peace, taking into account that the importance and side effects associated with war can only be understood when it is contrasted to the stance of peaceful life. There are a number of human conditions that are reflected such as fear, terror, and anxiety. Each of the work illustrates a different ideology of war, such as familial relations, horror, bloodshed, and some positive connotations as well such as motivation and rewards. In a nutshell, it can be asserted that literature has unfolded single theme from different dimensions and schools of thought.

Work Cited

Blyn, Robin. "O'Brien's The Things They Carried." The Explicator 61.3 (2003): 189-191.

Hughes, John. "Owen's Dulce et Decorum Est." The Explicator64.3 (2006): 164-166.

Spielberg, Steven. Saving Private Ryan. No. Nd1060. DVD VIDEO,, 1998.