Springsteen In Vietnam War
When something ongoing function smoothly, people tend to support it a lot. Furthermore when vice versa happens, people typically don't show a lot of support. The United States had won both World Wars, with that said, most Americans supported both those Wars. Vietnam emulates the complete opposite, a pointless family more crowded in controversy and fought thousands of miles away. It had all the makings to become the most unpopular American war ever. Since Vietnam did not go well at all for the US Military many people did not support the war and its soldiers. The use of Agent Orange on top of the My Lai massacre gave U.S. citizens all the ammunition they needed to wage a war to protest the actual war. Springsteen did not like how soldiers and Veterans were being
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treated one bit. Although he himself did not serve, Springsteen felt that the treatment soldiers and veterans received could not go undocumented. Henceforth, Bruce Springsteen created the hit song Born in the USA and through the use of metaphors Springsteen conveys the negative reality shock soldiers received upon return from Vietnam.
Bruce Springsteen used metaphors to explain how soldiers felt when they returned from the Vietnam War. His use of this literary device helped to exemplify soldiers’ thoughts and feelings upon their return to America. The metaphors made the soldiers’ much more comprehensible. To illustrate my point, in the song, the soldier has returned from the war and has gotten himself into trouble. The soldier had just got out of jail, still walking in the “shadow of the penitentiary” (line 25) which adds to the reason for his unemployment. He still had to deal with the “gas fires of the refinery” (line 26) which he needed to put out in order to get his life back on track. The Soldier, technically not in the shadow of the penitentiary, served jail time and that still looms over his head. The gas fires of the refinery symbolize his problems getting his old job and life back. Knowing that gas fires don’t go out easily, this metaphor reminds us that his problems won’t go away very easy. When soldiers came back from the war, people did not honor them like previous veterans. Springsteen uses this example to explain the struggle of post Vietnam life for those who served in the conflict. The poor treatment of these veterans was completely unfair, because the government called for a draft meaning most soldiers had no choice whether to serve or not. Drafted soldiers surprisingly received no extra help compared to the soldiers who volunteered.
Furthermore, the repercussions of Vietnam led the soldier into a bad place. At this point in time, he has not received any help to get his life back on track. For “ten years burning” (line 27) the soldier has had trouble. He has “nowhere to run” because his past still looms above his head. Still living a rough life because of Vietnam, Springsteen used the “burning road” (line 27) metaphor to illustrate the Veteran’s rough past. Springsteen then uses “nowhere to run” to exemplify that the Soldier has not gotten his life back on track. Vietnam ruined a lot Soldiers, even the one who didn’t suffer wounds from combat. Most Veterans could not find work and struggled to replicate the lives they lived before their services. At the very end of the song, Springsteen contrast life as a Veteran shortly after the war and many years down the road. The Soldier felt like a “long gone daddy” (line 32) in society in the immediate years following the war, because society made it out as if you had served in the War you should shame yourself. Although as society changed so did his feelings. He now feels like a “cool rocking daddy” (line 35) because
society changed. Serving in Vietnam became a cool thing, and Veterans should be proud. Springsteen use of “long gone” (line 32) means forgotten and lost, the Soldier may not even of had kids; “daddy”(line 32) could be referencing him providing for the people or “children” of the United States by fighting off the nation’s communist enemies in order to keep everyone safe. Springsteen closes with “a cool rocking daddy” (line 35) meaning serving in Vietnam should evoke pride instead of shame. Since the war went so badly and carried so much baggage (My Lai Massacre and Agent Orange, the Media and citizens went as far as portraying Veterans as murders. Society has now forgotten the tragedies of the war and the outcome, so now we view those same Veterans as Heroes, which we should have done before. To paint a modern day equivalent, if someone goes to jail and serves their time, our society still portrays them as a villain. It becomes very hard for them to get a job once they have got out of jail. Most employers are reluctant to hiring ex-convicts making it very hard for them to get their life back on track
As a summation, a song about the tragedies veterans based upon returning from Vietnam became a hit because of Bruce Springsteen's use of metaphors. Since we treated Vietnam veterans so bad, we now treat our current veterans with the utmost respect. Regardless the outcome of the war, our country has a duty to never let this happen again our military needs the entire support of our nation, so they can do their jobs and order to protect our freedoms
treated one bit. Although he himself did not serve, Springsteen felt that the treatment soldiers and veterans received could not go undocumented. Henceforth, Bruce Springsteen created the hit song Born in the USA and through the use of metaphors Springsteen conveys the negative reality shock soldiers received upon return from Vietnam.
Bruce Springsteen used metaphors to explain how soldiers felt when they returned from the Vietnam War. His use of this literary device helped to exemplify soldiers’ thoughts and feelings upon their return to America. The metaphors made the soldiers’ much more comprehensible. To illustrate my point, in the song, the soldier has returned from the war and has gotten himself into trouble. The soldier had just got out of jail, still walking in the “shadow of the penitentiary” (line 25) which adds to the reason for his unemployment. He still had to deal with the “gas fires of the refinery” (line 26) which he needed to put out in order to get his life back on track. The Soldier, technically not in the shadow of the penitentiary, served jail time and that still looms over his head. The gas fires of the refinery symbolize his problems getting his old job and life back. Knowing that gas fires don’t go out easily, this metaphor reminds us that his problems won’t go away very easy. When soldiers came back from the war, people did not honor them like previous veterans. Springsteen uses this example to explain the struggle of post Vietnam life for those who served in the conflict. The poor treatment of these veterans was completely unfair, because the government called for a draft meaning most soldiers had no choice whether to serve or not. Drafted soldiers surprisingly received no extra help compared to the soldiers who volunteered.
Furthermore, the repercussions of Vietnam led the soldier into a bad place. At this point in time, he has not received any help to get his life back on track. For “ten years burning” (line 27) the soldier has had trouble. He has “nowhere to run” because his past still looms above his head. Still living a rough life because of Vietnam, Springsteen used the “burning road” (line 27) metaphor to illustrate the Veteran’s rough past. Springsteen then uses “nowhere to run” to exemplify that the Soldier has not gotten his life back on track. Vietnam ruined a lot Soldiers, even the one who didn’t suffer wounds from combat. Most Veterans could not find work and struggled to replicate the lives they lived before their services. At the very end of the song, Springsteen contrast life as a Veteran shortly after the war and many years down the road. The Soldier felt like a “long gone daddy” (line 32) in society in the immediate years following the war, because society made it out as if you had served in the War you should shame yourself. Although as society changed so did his feelings. He now feels like a “cool rocking daddy” (line 35) because
society changed. Serving in Vietnam became a cool thing, and Veterans should be proud. Springsteen use of “long gone” (line 32) means forgotten and lost, the Soldier may not even of had kids; “daddy”(line 32) could be referencing him providing for the people or “children” of the United States by fighting off the nation’s communist enemies in order to keep everyone safe. Springsteen closes with “a cool rocking daddy” (line 35) meaning serving in Vietnam should evoke pride instead of shame. Since the war went so badly and carried so much baggage (My Lai Massacre and Agent Orange, the Media and citizens went as far as portraying Veterans as murders. Society has now forgotten the tragedies of the war and the outcome, so now we view those same Veterans as Heroes, which we should have done before. To paint a modern day equivalent, if someone goes to jail and serves their time, our society still portrays them as a villain. It becomes very hard for them to get a job once they have got out of jail. Most employers are reluctant to hiring ex-convicts making it very hard for them to get their life back on track
As a summation, a song about the tragedies veterans based upon returning from Vietnam became a hit because of Bruce Springsteen's use of metaphors. Since we treated Vietnam veterans so bad, we now treat our current veterans with the utmost respect. Regardless the outcome of the war, our country has a duty to never let this happen again our military needs the entire support of our nation, so they can do their jobs and order to protect our freedoms