Battle Scars
Jacob Hubenthal
Rys
ENGL 101
11/26/13
Battle Scars
War has both advanced and extinguished civilizations throughout history, it has been present for as long as humans have been around to partake. Whether it is merely in our nature to fight, or civilizations are destined to clash due to cultural differences is a mystery. Without warfare the world today would be a drastically different place- many would argue that a utopia would result. War not only affects those whose lives are in danger, but also the entire nation as families lose members. A veteran of any war has most likely lost somebody they cared about in battle, and have been changed by the experience. Commonly, veterans of war have many stories to share about their experiences abroad. Waltz with Bashir is an animated documentary created by Ari Folman, an Israeli veteran who did his military service during the 1982 Israeli incursion into Lebanon. The film is composed of interviews between Folman and his comrades from the war; he is unable to recollect anything that took place during his service. In Ari Folman’s film Waltz with Bashir it is evident that by witnessing traumatic events he has blocked out a considerable amount of time from memory, and must determine the role he played in such events to feel at peace with himself. Author Tim O’Brien’s narrative, “How to Tell a True War Story”, and Amy Taubin’s article “Drawn from Memory”, provide insight into the relationship between witnessing something scarring and its long-term effect on memory.
When a traumatic event occurs in warfare, there are those who took part and those who simply witnessed. O’Brien’s “How to Tell a True War Story” indicates that witnessing
Rys
ENGL 101
11/26/13
Battle Scars
War has both advanced and extinguished civilizations throughout history, it has been present for as long as humans have been around to partake. Whether it is merely in our nature to fight, or civilizations are destined to clash due to cultural differences is a mystery. Without warfare the world today would be a drastically different place- many would argue that a utopia would result. War not only affects those whose lives are in danger, but also the entire nation as families lose members. A veteran of any war has most likely lost somebody they cared about in battle, and have been changed by the experience. Commonly, veterans of war have many stories to share about their experiences abroad. Waltz with Bashir is an animated documentary created by Ari Folman, an Israeli veteran who did his military service during the 1982 Israeli incursion into Lebanon. The film is composed of interviews between Folman and his comrades from the war; he is unable to recollect anything that took place during his service. In Ari Folman’s film Waltz with Bashir it is evident that by witnessing traumatic events he has blocked out a considerable amount of time from memory, and must determine the role he played in such events to feel at peace with himself. Author Tim O’Brien’s narrative, “How to Tell a True War Story”, and Amy Taubin’s article “Drawn from Memory”, provide insight into the relationship between witnessing something scarring and its long-term effect on memory.
When a traumatic event occurs in warfare, there are those who took part and those who simply witnessed. O’Brien’s “How to Tell a True War Story” indicates that witnessing