Better Insight on War

Compared to the first week of class, I feel that I have a better insight on war, whether it is the one in Iraq, Somalia or elsewhere. I found the assigned readings very useful in understanding the complexity of war and its impact on art. I remember the article about the Marlboro Marine, which we had to read in the first week. Back then, I was less aware of the war-art relationship, but now I understand why the article placed emphasis on the photo of the marine who was smoking a cigarette on the battlefield.

Also, Bartleby the Scrivener helped me understand the importance of not showing apathy to the people who are in need of affection and relief. I think Bartleby's personality can be traced to that of any disgruntled soldier, like the one in the Black Hawk Down article, who was too afraid to go to combat. The sergeant who managed to motivate the soldier reacted much better than Bartleby's boss, who at one point tried to get away from him, telling himself that caring about the scrivener will only make him suffer more.