Anthony Swafford Jarhead Quotes
"Yes the motherfucker looks so deadly it makes me giggle and blush." (155) Weapons play an important role in war. Not only do they protect and kill, but they provide a feeling of comfort to a soldier because the soldiers are in control of their weapons. During the Gulf War in Iraq, soldiers were excited by their deadly weapons as described in the pervious quote. In the book Jarhead, a memoir by Anthony Swafford, soldiers have intense relationships with their weapons. Swafford constantly describes the many guns he carries, the process of cleaning his weapons and how they use them. Swafford's fear of dying triggers his obsession with weapons because they are the only aspect of the war he can control to stay alive. Even after the war is
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However, his own fear of death causes him to question if he wants to kill the opposing soldiers. After complaining about a new gun they have recently received that has some inconvenient problems, the instructors tell them, "we'll [soldiers] really make marksmanship history when we tear the asses out of the Iraqi armored brigades " (156) This statement makes Swafford reconsider his duty as a soldier and surfaces his paranoia of being shot and he thinks to himself, "But do I really care about tearing the asses out of the Iraqis?...this is death- the war moving closer, encroaching upon me Who will sight in on me?" (156) Many soldiers are confused as to why they are even fighting the war in the first place, causing feelings of carelessness. Here, Swafford questions his "care" toward killing the Iraqis, suggesting that his primary concern is surviving the battle. He understands the impinging war means he is closer to death. He is paranoid about dying, but he is also fearful for the death of both U.S. and Iraqi soldiers. Although he is confident in his skills as a sniper, he is scared that an Iraqi soldier will hone in on him taking his life with one precise shot. The constant paranoia of being sighted by opposing soldiers and fear of dying generate his obsession with his weapons because they will protect
However, his own fear of death causes him to question if he wants to kill the opposing soldiers. After complaining about a new gun they have recently received that has some inconvenient problems, the instructors tell them, "we'll [soldiers] really make marksmanship history when we tear the asses out of the Iraqi armored brigades " (156) This statement makes Swafford reconsider his duty as a soldier and surfaces his paranoia of being shot and he thinks to himself, "But do I really care about tearing the asses out of the Iraqis?...this is death- the war moving closer, encroaching upon me Who will sight in on me?" (156) Many soldiers are confused as to why they are even fighting the war in the first place, causing feelings of carelessness. Here, Swafford questions his "care" toward killing the Iraqis, suggesting that his primary concern is surviving the battle. He understands the impinging war means he is closer to death. He is paranoid about dying, but he is also fearful for the death of both U.S. and Iraqi soldiers. Although he is confident in his skills as a sniper, he is scared that an Iraqi soldier will hone in on him taking his life with one precise shot. The constant paranoia of being sighted by opposing soldiers and fear of dying generate his obsession with his weapons because they will protect