Johnny Got His Gun

Words: 743
Pages: 3

Honor, pride, duty, and a world safe for democracy are all words that have been used to promote war for centuries. Entrapping both civilians and soldiers into a war that rarely benefits themselves. This imprisonment has been represented in literature and films revealing the falsities that masters of war encourage. A novel that highlights this issue is Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo, following a man named Joe through his losses after his involvement in World War One which he was coerced into. A film called Shenandoah also developed similar ideas. Accompanying the Anderson family as they aim to stay out of the conflict around them amid the Civil War. The head of the family, Charlie, is unsuccessful, unable to protect his family from the loss he knew the war would cause, disbelieving the …show more content…
After Boy comes home wearing a Confederate army hat Charlie asks him if he is now a part of the army, following Boy saying no Charlie then goes on to tell the family how since they do not have slaves to protect in the war, it is not their fight and they should not be lured into it. Contrast to Joe, he believes in fighting for one’s own liberties and freedoms, which influences his beliefs about masters of war, already a war of the lures they pose to the incomprehensible. This is demonstrated while the Andersons visit church. While at church the pastor (something) preaches to the church members that the war occurring around them was Virginian men's duty to fight in and protect their rights. Charlie reacted negatively towards this speech, ignoring the attempts made to recruit his sons for the Confederate army, not falling for the master’s disillusionment. This is the opposite of Joe who when taunted by powerful words fell into the trap placed by the masters of war. Although Charlie was already apprehensive of masters of wars false statements, he was still able to learn further the truth of