Thesis For Soldier's Heart By Gary Paulsen

Soldier’s Heart Essay

Fifteen year old Charley is excited about going to war and “being a man.” In Soldier's’ Heart by Gary Paulsen, Charley begs his mom for acceptance about fighting for the Union She lets him because the word has it that it will be a quick and easy war for the Union. Charley, still a boy is anxious about fighting for the Union, oblivious to what is ahead of him. Charley changes from a young foolish boy, to a man with a soldier's heart in the course of this book. “It’s better than a circus,” Charley explains. Charley loves the send off to war. He likes the good food people are serving him, the large enthusiastic crowds, pretty girls waving flags and giving him sweets, and plush seats on the trains. Everyone thinks the war will be quick and easy, and Charley believes too when he sees the harsh conditions of the southern families.
Charley experiences his first, Battle of Bull Run, and it is not all fun and games.
This battle is a wake up call for Charley and the soldiers when they lose the Battle of Bull Run. Charley experiences horrific things, that he will not be able to erase from his mind. For example, a soldier near Charley head gets blown off. The first battle traumatized Charley, and vomits in the woods, while hiding behind a tree. Charley fights his second battle and again sees deaths by many soldiers dropping one by one near him. He meets another soldier near his age named Nelson. Charley becomes close with him. He could not find Nelson during this second battle and later finds him on the ground wounded. He is shot in the stomach and will not live. Charley helps Nelson with his last wishes and Nelson shoots himself as Charley walks
away. Charley becomes aware of what war consist of, unlike what he expects. Charley has many battles under his belt and is better adapting to war life towards the book’s ending. He starts to pull his own weight at camp by preparing and collecting food for other soldiers, providing heat sources, and caring for the sick and wounded. Charley is more brave during battles, for he takes a lead instead of hiding behind trees as he did in his first battle. Years after the war ended and the Union won, Charley had a soldier's heart. A soldier's heart is when a person experiences traumatic events, is scared by them, and they cannot return to the state of mind before their experience. Twenty year-old Charley, lives on his own, unable to start a family or do anything a normal young man can do. “He was too old. Not old in years--in years he still hadn't started daily shaving or learned about women. But in other ways he was old, old from too much life, old from seeing too much, old from knowing too much,” explained the text on page 98. Charley is suicidal and depressed, but also proud to have contributed in the saving of the Union. “He was elected, but before he could serve, his wounds and the stress took him and he died in December 1868,” stated the author’s note. Charley goes from being a boy excited to take part in fighting for the Union, but later to a man with a soldier’s heart. War affected Charley in many ways. It turned him into a boy to a man, but taught him lessons about teamwork and independence. Along with the lessons, it left a scar on his mind.