During your study of the works in this class, you will be examining the theme of responsibility and how characters demonstrate responsibility (or irresponsibility) toward their fellow humans, society, or themselves.
This blog will be the place where you will keep track of and share your thoughts on responsibility for each major unit.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
ALL MY SONS
What is the responsibility Chris is talking about in his speech to Ann on pages 35-36? In a few sentences, explain where it came from and what it means.
In his speech to Ann, Chris describes the feeling of responsibility he and his comrades in war had towards each other. It is "man for man," a responsibility that grows out of "the love a man can have for a man." This feeling of responsibility of giving one's life to make sure another can live comes from the desperation of war. The men Chris knew in war "weren't just men." They had love for each other, a tight platonic bond that they had never known before and would never know again, especially Chris in his tidy suburb. On the battlefield, every man felt that responsibility and strong love for one another backing him up, "standing there, behind him, and it would make a difference to him." Each man had meaning, enough meaning for another man to virtually kill himself for a fellow man. However, when Chris returns home, he finds that everyone takes everything for granted, and he feels guilty, unworthy to even open the refrigerator or drive his car. To him, he knows that "it came out of the love a man can have for a man," and, he says, "you've got to be a little better because of that. Otherwise what you have is really loot, and there's blood on it." Chris knows that anything and everything a person experiences in "normal," everyday life is a result of something huge: the brotherly love a man can have for someone he barely knows, love that drove so many to kill themselves for each other.
In this speech Chris seems to be talking about his responsibility as a human. He talks about how he has a responsibility to the men he was with during the war. He feels he had a responsibility to protect them. This morphs into a responsibility for appreciating others' sacrifices. Chris talks about how every time he drives the car he got as a product of his father selling airplane parts he thinks of the sacrifices. He feels that people should be aware and respect what others have risked. These feelings are mainly coming from Chris' experiences in the war but also from the family issues Chris was confronted with when he returned home. Chris got home from war and his world was the same. The people acted as if nothing had happened and this upsets him so he expresses these feelings in the speech.
As Chris relates the guilt that he feels after the war for being alive while his brothers in war are not, he reveals a greater responsibility within himself and war as well. His responsibility comes from the uniting brotherhood that is created from war, as men fight to their deaths for not only their country but for each other. The experiences that they have endured as a group unite them. It reveals that it is not easy to move on after war. The fact that he is alive while his men are not contributes to personal pain and contrition, which is naturally part of the grieving process after a war. Even though he was blessed with being alive and others' lives were sacrificed, he remembers the brotherhood that they shared as they fought.
In Chris's speech to Anne he says that while everything was being destroyed, something new was made, "A kind of...responsibility. Man for man." In the army Chris felt a bond to his other soldiers and felt that it was his responsibility to protect and care for them. In Arthur Miller's "Situation Normal" he writes, "No man has ever felt identity with a group more deeply and intimately than a soldier in battle." It's evident that once men fight together in war they become so close and respect each other so much, that when a soldier, like Chris, returns home it's hard for them to find an outlet or someone to bond too. Moreover, they have a certain responsibility to protect someone or do something productive, but their new realities don't always provide that for them. In Chris's case and in Miller's essay, these soldiers come home to a world where the war is sugar coated and all seems mundane. The soldiers' lingering responsibility gives them a "thirst" for something that can't be satisfied.
"They didn't die; they killed themselves for each other. I mean that exactly; s little more selfish and they'd be here today. And I got an idea-- watching them go down. Everything was destroyed, you see, but it seemed to me that one new thing was made. A kind of... responsibility. Man for man." -Chris, Act 1, page 35-36
Chris, I believe, is talking about a few different responsibilities at once. He means the responsibility of a man to help his fellow man, the responsibility of a man to help and protect what a comrade had died for. The first responsibility is a moral responsibility, and independent of other factors; it is hard to notice, however, until you are in a situation like that of war. One's responsibility to what is left behind by a fellow soldier, worker, or the like, however, is only born out of affection and close friendship with the dead man.
In this monologue, Chris goes on to discuss, and attempt to describe, the brotherhood war forces soldiers to form, and the difference between a soldier's life and a civilian one, and the subsequent loss as one transitions from one to the other. Some of the responsibility mentioned above is born out of this brotherhood.
On pages 35-36 Chris refers to a responsibility which he has felt since his combat experiences during WWII. When men are faced with colossal adversity, as they often are during warfare, they are forced to place utmost trust in each other. As time goes on this trust can manifest itself as truly deep friendships and camaraderie. As men sacrifice themselves for their country and their comrades they instill a sense of responsibility in their fellows. Chris feels responsibility because his men died and he didn't. He feels like he must live life to the fullest, to a similar standard that he lived on the battlefield. But because he must return to life as a civilian, he cannot live up to these expectations and therefore feels that he cannot repay the 'debt' which he accumulated during the war. He feels almost that he shouldn't be alive.
During his speech on pages 35-36, Chris explains the importance, and formation, of a certain "man for man" responsibility that applies to all men in combat. The bond between soldiers is unlike any human relation in typical society; it is a relationship in which selflessness is forgotten. Every thing a man does in war, should benefit his fellow combats; a soldier should be able to put his life on the line for both his country, and the men by his side. For example, Chris tells the story regarding the kind young soldier who gave him his last pair of dry socks after an rough rainy week. This generous act, while small in comparison to the war in general, accurately exemplifies the ability of these men to give themselves up for another. As Chris stated, the soldiers "Didn't die; they killed themselves for each other." Furthermore, he expresses his disbelief with the unchanged world he came back to after he was released from his military duties. The normality of the civilization he re-entered was troubling because it seemed as though there "was no meaning." While witnessing the lack of impact the war had on his home, Chris began to feel guilty for being the only surviving soldier of his group. He was forced to realize that his fellow soldiers had fulfilled their noble responsibilities; if they had been "a little more selfish" they would have been able to go home too.
The responsibility Chris describes in his speech to Ann concerns the strong bonds formed between Chris and the soldiers in his company, all of whom died in an attempt to save one another. After returning home, Chris still felt responsible for his soldiers and missed the significant bond he once shared with the other men. Chris felt that, while living peacefully at home, bonds as powerful as the ones he had formed in the war were nonexistent, and that the deaths of the men in his company were of little significance to the people they died defending, and he now appreciates all of his possessions, great or of little importance, because they "came out of the love one man can have for a man". Every day life is simply a product of the responsibility these men felt for one another, and Chris is one of the few who are aware of it.
The "responsibility" Chris is talking about, is the responsibility for carrying on and representing the lives of the men who he had lost in the war. Chris discusses how the battlefield and civilization are two very different worlds. Chris had created strong bonds with the men who he had served with, and he says, "And I got an idea–watching them go down. Everything was being destroyed,see, but it seemed to me that one new thing was made. A kind of...responsibility. Man for man." (Miller 36). After these men die, Chris realizes that it is his responsibility to display the legacies of these men who had died. But Chris is discouraged, because back in civilization, nobody really pays attention to it. Everyone belongs to their certain groups, and has their certain preferences, but they don't truly care about what these men had risked their lives for. Chris is confused. When he returns home to his family, he is rewarded by being able to carry on his normal life with all of its luxuries for fighting for his country. But he feels guilty, because the men who had died along side him are not rewarded, they are just dead. Chris and his men had all done their service, only difference is that Chris survived. The problem is that nothing, nor anyone, had been changed at home, and Chris feels that these men will be forgotten. [Second half deleted]
The responsibility Chris is talking about is to honor the selflessness of his fellow veterans. The men he fought with all cared about and tried to protect each other. He feels a responsibility to bring back some of the special attitude the men had to civilian life. He is shocked about the selfishness of his old life.
In war, men unite themselves for a common cause, and this comradery and patriotism becomes imbedded in one’s identity. Suddenly, trivial matters are not significant, because soldiers understand the value of life, and how easily life can be snatched away. Therefore, when soldiers like Chris return home, they are struck by the overwhelming normality of everyday life. Across the globe, people are dying, but people at home act as if nothing is wrong. Chris says that he feels, “…ashamed somehow. Because nobody was changed at all… It felt wrong to be alive” (36). When Chris was in war he realized the repercussions of actions; he had a responsibility for his soldiers. However, people at home are extremely narrow- minded and focused on money or family. While those issues are certainly practical, there is more to life than most people realize. Each person has a responsibility for the common good and that requires becoming more aware of the world around you. Arthur Miller in Situation Normal elaborates by writing, “We have always believed in the fiction—and often damned our own belief--- that if every man privately takes care of his own interests, the community, and the nation will prosper and be safe.” It is simply not enough to focus on oneself. As is evident from All My Sons, Joe Keller’s inability to think outside of his family unit, ultimately destroys the people he cares most about, his sons. Overall, Chris believes that one has a responsibility for the greater good.
While fighting on a battlefield, soldiers all fight for the same cause, united under one goal. Through this unification and union men seem to create a bond with each other that can never be separated. This love and dedication to one another is the responsibility Chris informs Ann about in these pages. He says, a "man for man" responsibility was made while all other aspects of life were being destroyed on the battlefield. While fighting, Chris had developed a sense of responsibility towards a person, a responsibility to "look out" for everyone and by fighting in the war, he learned to appreciate what he has at home. When he returned, he still brought back with him the bond and love he had for the other soldiers and he realized that life is simply much more than materialistic things; it is love and loyalty to one another. He even says, "I felt wrong to be alive" because many other men had passed away and he was still alive. This is evidence that a love for your "brother" or man is needed in life and it is one's responsibility to look our for each other and for the greater good. As a result of this new responsibility he had learned, when he came back he felt "ashamed somehow" to be taking Ann (not his, his brother's) away because, to some degree, it depicts his fail to be responsible. in Situational Normal Arthur Miller writes, "No man has ever felt identity with a group more deeply and intimately than a soldier in battle" which proves that through battle and fighting together for one's country, a bond and relationship develops that is unforgettable which ultimately leads one to take responsibility of the other. This unification and merging is also seen in Macbeth by Shakespeare when all the men of Scotland fight together for their country and to kill Macbeth. On the whole, Chris develops a sense of responsibility for not only himself but for the best of everyone (his soldiers) and to appreciate what he has been given in life.
The responsibility that Chris is talking about comes from his time when he was in the war. He had fought next to men that died right in front of him, and this is where the responsibility came from. When Chris returned home, he felt as if there was a need to remember his lost comrades and the incredible sacrifices they had made. However, Chris soon realized that pre-war life continued on at home, as if the war had never existed. Chris feels a personal responsibility to not only himself, but also to the lost soldiers, to remember their sacrifice. However, he feels as if he has not yet met the responsibility because he feels guilty that he is continuing life from where it left off pre-war.
In Chris's speech, he talks about the responsibility of men that he felt was evident when he was in the army. He describes how the men had felt a responsibility towards each other and how they took care of each other as in his example of a man giving Chris his last pair of dry socks. It seems that most of his men died, and Chris feels guilty about still being alive. These men had given their lives for each other as Chris says, "...a little more selfish and they'd've been here today" (35). This responsibility that he speaks of is mainly about how his men gave their lives for each other, and that he feels guilty for all the things he has and wants while he men selflessly sacrificed their lives. Also, Chris describes how this feeling affects him now that he is back home. He says that that feeling of responsibility and love is gone in his ordinary life. Chris seems to be emotionally confused because he feels like he should be a better person after seeing that kind of responsibility from war.
The responsibility to which Chris refers in his speech, is brought about by the attitude and character of the men Chris had the honor of serving with during the war. Chris begins by stating that the men which he served with were all selfless. One day, whilst it was raining, one of his soldiers came up to him and gave him his last pair of dry socks. Bringing to light their kind and friendly nature as well as their desire to put others before themselves. Whilst describing the character of the men, Chris states, "They didn't die; they killed themselves for each other" (35). As a result of the selflessness character of these soldiers, Chris now feels an obligation to resurrect and sustain any memory, memento and image of the men he had the privilege of fighting beside.
Wartime and the events that occur during war, in the context of the soldiers' experiences, change men and shape their way of living. War is a life and death struggle, and as such, soldiers work together to survive. This creates deep bonds between the bond, which far surpass any normal friendship. They know that their actions during the war, especially in the context of interaction between soldiers, will affect whether or not someone lives or dies, especially in the context of World War II. Chris denotes this bond and feeling fraternal affection as "responsibility." He feels as if during the war, the men built up a responsibility of caring for each other. He gives an example of the soldier who gives him socks. Specific to World War II, the battlefields and living conditions (especially in foxholes), were unbearably cold and wet, and as such, soldiers experienced frostbite on their feet. This represents the selflessness of war that soldiers (from Chris' point of view) embody. Upon returning home, Chris has realized how different it is at home, for people, especially in the materialistic age of the American 1950's, were very selfish and looked out for themselves. Chris finds it very hard to reconcile, for living through World War II gave him a very different viewpoint toward life than the normal civilian in the post-World War II era.
n Chris's speech on page 35-36, he describes the responsibility he feels to mankind. He describes how close he felt to the men in his company. The men in his company were so close that they basically "killed themselves for each other". Chris tells Ann that if these men had been a little more selfish, that they would have been here today. In war, Chris felt deep meaning in every little thing he did, because the men in his company did things not for themselves, but each other. This deep bond between is soldiers causes each soldier to feel responsible for all the other soldiers, not just themselves. Since Chris felt responsible for the rest of the soldiers, when he sees all his men dying in battle, Chris feels a sense of failure. Even though Chris may have survived the battles, his soldiers did not, and therefore Chris did not take responsibility for his soldiers. This responsibility of men looking out for each other is completely lost when Chris comes back home from war. Now Chris feels ashamed to be alive when every man in his company is dead. The moral responsibility Chris feels to these men is so strong that he feels ashamed of all the nice things he has in life, such as a new car or refrigerator, because Chris knows that these men could never have any of it, since they are dead. Chris's responsibilty for his soldiers is like the responsibily that a father would feel for all his sons.
The responsibility Chris is talking about in his speech to Ann is the responsibility of each man for the life of another. On the battle field, "Everything was being destroyed" (35), and in the face of that all the soldiers could do was band together. They developed an incredibly strong bond with each other. They would have died for each other, and often did. They all felt responsible for the others in their unit and did everything they could to keep each other alive. The soldiers all become blatantly aware of the how fleeting life can be, and come to take nothing for granted. When they return home, and are no longer face with life and death situations at every moment, it becomes difficult to find meaning. Chris talks about feeling guilty for being alive, and coming back to a whole community of people who had not been affected by all the death and violence. He says if you don't then appreciate all you have, and try to be better, "there's blood" (36) on your hands, because men have died for you.
What Chris is talking about on pages 35-36, is the bond and therefore responsibility that the soldiers had for each other in the war, especially in combat. Chris says that the soldiers looked out for one another, cared for one another and loved one another because of the intense bonds that were created. Chris especially, because he was in command of a company, felt this responsibility extremely strongly. Chris became used to this responsibility for oneself and for one's comrades, that he really feels the stark contrast when he returns home. He not only feels the weight of not fulfilling his responsibility, because he lost his whole company, but he also feels the contrast of the level of responsibility consciousness that is lacking from the real world. He feels wrong because he has changed, "but nobody was changed at all" (36).
In WWII, Chris forged a deep bond with the other members of his company. They had a deep respect and care for each other. Now that he's back, he feels like he needs to keep that responsibility of caring for others and valuing everything about life, which he feels he hasn't been doing completely. He feels ashamed that he is alive & living life normally, while all these men who he had such a strong relationship with are all dead. He is still missing the appreciation for the value of life that he had during the time of war.
In Chris' monologue, he refers to the random acts of kindness that humans perform for each other regularly. It brings that to the attention of the reader, as to why it is human nature to sometimes sacrifice one of your belongings to aid another? Why would one not simply take for his own benefit? Chris answers that question in this soliloquy, saying that random acts of kindness are performed out of simple love and affection for another man. However, Chris refers to the war, and according to him, giving one's life for another is an act of kindness that cannot go overlooked. Chris said he had felt guilt or shame. He sees his surroundings, and he does not feel a change in humans around him, nor in himself, so he felt ashamed. To connect this to responsibility, I believe Chris is talking about how each person has a responsibility to another; to not let them fall, to watch over, to reach out, to give what you can. Also, when you receive something from another in this manner, you should appreciate and use it to its fullest extent.
Chris, like many war veterans, is expressing his sense of longing for a greater purpose. In the battlefield, a soldier is all about sacrifice, heroism and survival, but on his return home, he realizes the idleness and pettiness of "normal life." It takes a while to get accustomed to live for his own, as Miller says, "selfish welfare," after feeling noble and heroic and giving so much of himself. When Chris returns home, he cares not about the money, nor his dad's business, but is still longing for more importance. He has to adjust to the dullness of ordinary life and look out for himself. In war, everyone was unified against one evil, but at home Miller states, "He must reassume its little prejudices, its hates, its tiny aims." Chris feels this insignificance, and living in the battlefield, it awakened a part of his humanness that could not be easily forgotten. As Chris called it, "A kind of...responsibility. Man for man," (Miller 35-36). He must smother a part of himself to fit in and live again back home, where every man is fighting for his own petty cause. He cannot erase what he experienced in war, which made him a better person, calling upon all he had, but now he must live a half of a life, suppressing the sense of greater humanity that he found during his experience of war. He sees civilian life for the pettiness and selfish lifestyle that it has a tendency to be.
In Chris' speech to Ann he discusses the devotion among his fellow soldiers, and their felt obligation to protect one another. Chris speaks admiringly of the way other soldiers were completely selfless and fully dedicated to the men they fought beside. Chris' speech comes from the guilt he felt when he returned from the war; guilt for surviving, saying how it "felt wrong to be alive" (36). Chris also gives the speech to defend the commodities he returned to after the war;he says, "but when you drive the car you've got to know that it came out of the love a man can have for a man, you've got to be a little better because of that" (36). Chris' speech shows the guilt commonly felt by a war-survivor, guilt that resonates when he prospers from material items like new cars, and the difficulty he faced in returning to his daily life, where things are taken for granted.
In this speech, Chris is describing the responsibility that comes from serving the greater good. His work on the battlefield was beneficial to the entire nation. Chris and his fellow veterans struggle to resume their normal life styles after witnessing so much destruction. Fighting for one's country is an extremely selfless act that truly exemplifies the meaning of responsibility for the common good. Chris says that if the men who died on the battlefield had been "a little more selfish, they'd've been here today" (35). What Chris witnessed on the battlefield puts his life into a different perspective that also impacts how he interacts with people. Chris describes, "This kid came to me, and gave me his last pair of dry socks. Put them in my pocket. That's only a little thing... but... that's the kind of guys I had. They didn't die; they killed themselves for each other" (35). Chris appreciated this simple act of kindness and will never forget the bonds he created while fighting for his country. Finally, Chris has started to question the value of his own life now that he has the opportunity to reflect on his experience serving the army. He feels undeserving of his comfortable life after being exposed to so much violence.
On page 35-36, Chris reveals to Ann that most of the men he fought beside in the war had died. As he describes, "they killed themselves for each other," which shows their sacrifice and commitment. This represents the responsibility that those soldiers, including Chris, owed to each other and to their country, and this resulted in a strong brotherhood that grew between the men. Now that Chris is lucky enough to return home, alive and well, he feels a sense of guilt as he remembers his wartime responsibility to his men. No other person in the story can relate to him in this sense because they don't know what it was like. This speech shows the hard transition between soldier and civilian, as Chris no longer has a greater purpose to serve. Chris expresses his anxiety and shame to Ann because it will take him time to overcome these feelings, as the war environment is so different from his home environment.
In his monologue, Chris muses about the responsibility during wartime he and his fellow comrades had for each other and for the greater good of their country. He says “They killed themselves for each other”, emphasizing the selflessness that one must embody when fighting in a war. However, as Chris goes on to say, that selfless attitude can get a man killed. You are not simply trying to stay alive for yourself, but rather willing to risk everything for your country and peers.
In the speech to Ann, Chris explains a responsibility that he shared with the men he fought with during the war. He explains that this relationship isn't like any others, these men would virtually kill themselves to keep their fellow soldier alive. Each soldier had a responsibility to keep those around him alive, and if that meant giving up his own life, then that's what he would do. This kind of relationship where so much responsibility is involved put a strain on Chris when he returns home. He is amazed that not a single person is phased by the war, but they just continue living their normal lives. He starts to feel guilty because he didn't die. He didn't give his life for a fellow soldier, and he didn't take the responsibility of trying to keep them alive. He feels ashamed of his cowardliness and the fact that he didn't display enough bravery to give his life for another.
In his speech to Ann, Chris describes the feeling of responsibility he and his comrades in war had towards each other. It is "man for man," a responsibility that grows out of "the love a man can have for a man." This feeling of responsibility of giving one's life to make sure another can live comes from the desperation of war. The men Chris knew in war "weren't just men." They had love for each other, a tight platonic bond that they had never known before and would never know again, especially Chris in his tidy suburb. On the battlefield, every man felt that responsibility and strong love for one another backing him up, "standing there, behind him, and it would make a difference to him." Each man had meaning, enough meaning for another man to virtually kill himself for a fellow man. However, when Chris returns home, he finds that everyone takes everything for granted, and he feels guilty, unworthy to even open the refrigerator or drive his car. To him, he knows that "it came out of the love a man can have for a man," and, he says, "you've got to be a little better because of that. Otherwise what you have is really loot, and there's blood on it." Chris knows that anything and everything a person experiences in "normal," everyday life is a result of something huge: the brotherly love a man can have for someone he barely knows, love that drove so many to kill themselves for each other.
ReplyDeleteIn this speech Chris seems to be talking about his responsibility as a human. He talks about how he has a responsibility to the men he was with during the war. He feels he had a responsibility to protect them. This morphs into a responsibility for appreciating others' sacrifices. Chris talks about how every time he drives the car he got as a product of his father selling airplane parts he thinks of the sacrifices. He feels that people should be aware and respect what others have risked. These feelings are mainly coming from Chris' experiences in the war but also from the family issues Chris was confronted with when he returned home. Chris got home from war and his world was the same. The people acted as if nothing had happened and this upsets him so he expresses these feelings in the speech.
ReplyDeleteAs Chris relates the guilt that he feels after the war for being alive while his brothers in war are not, he reveals a greater responsibility within himself and war as well. His responsibility comes from the uniting brotherhood that is created from war, as men fight to their deaths for not only their country but for each other. The experiences that they have endured as a group unite them. It reveals that it is not easy to move on after war. The fact that he is alive while his men are not contributes to personal pain and contrition, which is naturally part of the grieving process after a war. Even though he was blessed with being alive and others' lives were sacrificed, he remembers the brotherhood that they shared as they fought.
ReplyDeleteIn Chris's speech to Anne he says that while everything was being destroyed, something new was made, "A kind of...responsibility. Man for man." In the army Chris felt a bond to his other soldiers and felt that it was his responsibility to protect and care for them. In Arthur Miller's "Situation Normal" he writes, "No man has ever felt identity with a group more deeply and intimately than a soldier in battle." It's evident that once men fight together in war they become so close and respect each other so much, that when a soldier, like Chris, returns home it's hard for them to find an outlet or someone to bond too. Moreover, they have a certain responsibility to protect someone or do something productive, but their new realities don't always provide that for them. In Chris's case and in Miller's essay, these soldiers come home to a world where the war is sugar coated and all seems mundane. The soldiers' lingering responsibility gives them a "thirst" for something that can't be satisfied.
ReplyDelete"They didn't die; they killed themselves for each other. I mean that exactly; s little more selfish and they'd be here today. And I got an idea-- watching them go down. Everything was destroyed, you see, but it seemed to me that one new thing was made. A kind of... responsibility. Man for man." -Chris, Act 1, page 35-36
ReplyDeleteChris, I believe, is talking about a few different responsibilities at once. He means the responsibility of a man to help his fellow man, the responsibility of a man to help and protect what a comrade had died for. The first responsibility is a moral responsibility, and independent of other factors; it is hard to notice, however, until you are in a situation like that of war. One's responsibility to what is left behind by a fellow soldier, worker, or the like, however, is only born out of affection and close friendship with the dead man.
In this monologue, Chris goes on to discuss, and attempt to describe, the brotherhood war forces soldiers to form, and the difference between a soldier's life and a civilian one, and the subsequent loss as one transitions from one to the other. Some of the responsibility mentioned above is born out of this brotherhood.
On pages 35-36 Chris refers to a responsibility which he has felt since his combat experiences during WWII. When men are faced with colossal adversity, as they often are during warfare, they are forced to place utmost trust in each other. As time goes on this trust can manifest itself as truly deep friendships and camaraderie. As men sacrifice themselves for their country and their comrades they instill a sense of responsibility in their fellows. Chris feels responsibility because his men died and he didn't. He feels like he must live life to the fullest, to a similar standard that he lived on the battlefield. But because he must return to life as a civilian, he cannot live up to these expectations and therefore feels that he cannot repay the 'debt' which he accumulated during the war. He feels almost that he shouldn't be alive.
ReplyDeleteDuring his speech on pages 35-36, Chris explains the importance, and formation, of a certain "man for man" responsibility that applies to all men in combat. The bond between soldiers is unlike any human relation in typical society; it is a relationship in which selflessness is forgotten. Every thing a man does in war, should benefit his fellow combats; a soldier should be able to put his life on the line for both his country, and the men by his side. For example, Chris tells the story regarding the kind young soldier who gave him his last pair of dry socks after an rough rainy week. This generous act, while small in comparison to the war in general, accurately exemplifies the ability of these men to give themselves up for another. As Chris stated, the soldiers "Didn't die; they killed themselves for each other." Furthermore, he expresses his disbelief with the unchanged world he came back to after he was released from his military duties. The normality of the civilization he re-entered was troubling because it seemed as though there "was no meaning." While witnessing the lack of impact the war had on his home, Chris began to feel guilty for being the only surviving soldier of his group. He was forced to realize that his fellow soldiers had fulfilled their noble responsibilities; if they had been "a little more selfish" they would have been able to go home too.
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ReplyDeleteThe responsibility Chris describes in his speech to Ann concerns the strong bonds formed between Chris and the soldiers in his company, all of whom died in an attempt to save one another. After returning home, Chris still felt responsible for his soldiers and missed the significant bond he once shared with the other men. Chris felt that, while living peacefully at home, bonds as powerful as the ones he had formed in the war were nonexistent, and that the deaths of the men in his company were of little significance to the people they died defending, and he now appreciates all of his possessions, great or of little importance, because they "came out of the love one man can have for a man". Every day life is simply a product of the responsibility these men felt for one another, and Chris is one of the few who are aware of it.
ReplyDeleteThe "responsibility" Chris is talking about, is the responsibility for carrying on and representing the lives of the men who he had lost in the war. Chris discusses how the battlefield and civilization are two very different worlds. Chris had created strong bonds with the men who he had served with, and he says, "And I got an idea–watching them go down. Everything was being destroyed,see, but it seemed to me that one new thing was made. A kind of...responsibility. Man for man." (Miller 36). After these men die, Chris realizes that it is his responsibility to display the legacies of these men who had died. But Chris is discouraged, because back in civilization, nobody really pays attention to it. Everyone belongs to their certain groups, and has their certain preferences, but they don't truly care about what these men had risked their lives for. Chris is confused. When he returns home to his family, he is rewarded by being able to carry on his normal life with all of its luxuries for fighting for his country. But he feels guilty, because the men who had died along side him are not rewarded, they are just dead. Chris and his men had all done their service, only difference is that Chris survived. The problem is that nothing, nor anyone, had been changed at home, and Chris feels that these men will be forgotten. [Second half deleted]
ReplyDeleteThe responsibility Chris is talking about is to honor the selflessness of his fellow veterans. The men he fought with all cared about and tried to protect each other. He feels a responsibility to bring back some of the special attitude the men had to civilian life. He is shocked about the selfishness of his old life.
ReplyDeleteIn war, men unite themselves for a common cause, and this comradery and patriotism becomes imbedded in one’s identity. Suddenly, trivial matters are not significant, because soldiers understand the value of life, and how easily life can be snatched away. Therefore, when soldiers like Chris return home, they are struck by the overwhelming normality of everyday life. Across the globe, people are dying, but people at home act as if nothing is wrong. Chris says that he feels, “…ashamed somehow. Because nobody was changed at all… It felt wrong to be alive” (36). When Chris was in war he realized the repercussions of actions; he had a responsibility for his soldiers. However, people at home are extremely narrow- minded and focused on money or family. While those issues are certainly practical, there is more to life than most people realize. Each person has a responsibility for the common good and that requires becoming more aware of the world around you. Arthur Miller in Situation Normal elaborates by writing, “We have always believed in the fiction—and often damned our own belief--- that if every man privately takes care of his own interests, the community, and the nation will prosper and be safe.” It is simply not enough to focus on oneself. As is evident from All My Sons, Joe Keller’s inability to think outside of his family unit, ultimately destroys the people he cares most about, his sons. Overall, Chris believes that one has a responsibility for the greater good.
ReplyDeleteWhile fighting on a battlefield, soldiers all fight for the same cause, united under one goal. Through this unification and union men seem to create a bond with each other that can never be separated. This love and dedication to one another is the responsibility Chris informs Ann about in these pages. He says, a "man for man" responsibility was made while all other aspects of life were being destroyed on the battlefield. While fighting, Chris had developed a sense of responsibility towards a person, a responsibility to "look out" for everyone and by fighting in the war, he learned to appreciate what he has at home. When he returned, he still brought back with him the bond and love he had for the other soldiers and he realized that life is simply much more than materialistic things; it is love and loyalty to one another. He even says, "I felt wrong to be alive" because many other men had passed away and he was still alive. This is evidence that a love for your "brother" or man is needed in life and it is one's responsibility to look our for each other and for the greater good. As a result of this new responsibility he had learned, when he came back he felt "ashamed somehow" to be taking Ann (not his, his brother's) away because, to some degree, it depicts his fail to be responsible. in Situational Normal Arthur Miller writes, "No man has ever felt identity with a group more deeply and intimately than a soldier in battle" which proves that through battle and fighting together for one's country, a bond and relationship develops that is unforgettable which ultimately leads one to take responsibility of the other. This unification and merging is also seen in Macbeth by Shakespeare when all the men of Scotland fight together for their country and to kill Macbeth. On the whole, Chris develops a sense of responsibility for not only himself but for the best of everyone (his soldiers) and to appreciate what he has been given in life.
ReplyDeleteThe responsibility that Chris is talking about comes from his time when he was in the war. He had fought next to men that died right in front of him, and this is where the responsibility came from. When Chris returned home, he felt as if there was a need to remember his lost comrades and the incredible sacrifices they had made. However, Chris soon realized that pre-war life continued on at home, as if the war had never existed. Chris feels a personal responsibility to not only himself, but also to the lost soldiers, to remember their sacrifice. However, he feels as if he has not yet met the responsibility because he feels guilty that he is continuing life from where it left off pre-war.
ReplyDeleteIn Chris's speech, he talks about the responsibility of men that he felt was evident when he was in the army. He describes how the men had felt a responsibility towards each other and how they took care of each other as in his example of a man giving Chris his last pair of dry socks. It seems that most of his men died, and Chris feels guilty about still being alive. These men had given their lives for each other as Chris says, "...a little more selfish and they'd've been here today" (35). This responsibility that he speaks of is mainly about how his men gave their lives for each other, and that he feels guilty for all the things he has and wants while he men selflessly sacrificed their lives. Also, Chris describes how this feeling affects him now that he is back home. He says that that feeling of responsibility and love is gone in his ordinary life. Chris seems to be emotionally confused because he feels like he should be a better person after seeing that kind of responsibility from war.
ReplyDeleteThe responsibility to which Chris refers in his speech, is brought about by the attitude and character of the men Chris had the honor of serving with during the war. Chris begins by stating that the men which he served with were all selfless. One day, whilst it was raining, one of his soldiers came up to him and gave him his last pair of dry socks. Bringing to light their kind and friendly nature as well as their desire to put others before themselves. Whilst describing the character of the men, Chris states, "They didn't die; they killed themselves for each other" (35). As a result of the selflessness character of these soldiers, Chris now feels an obligation to resurrect and sustain any memory, memento and image of the men he had the privilege of fighting beside.
ReplyDeleteWartime and the events that occur during war, in the context of the soldiers' experiences, change men and shape their way of living. War is a life and death struggle, and as such, soldiers work together to survive. This creates deep bonds between the bond, which far surpass any normal friendship. They know that their actions during the war, especially in the context of interaction between soldiers, will affect whether or not someone lives or dies, especially in the context of World War II. Chris denotes this bond and feeling fraternal affection as "responsibility." He feels as if during the war, the men built up a responsibility of caring for each other. He gives an example of the soldier who gives him socks. Specific to World War II, the battlefields and living conditions (especially in foxholes), were unbearably cold and wet, and as such, soldiers experienced frostbite on their feet. This represents the selflessness of war that soldiers (from Chris' point of view) embody. Upon returning home, Chris has realized how different it is at home, for people, especially in the materialistic age of the American 1950's, were very selfish and looked out for themselves. Chris finds it very hard to reconcile, for living through World War II gave him a very different viewpoint toward life than the normal civilian in the post-World War II era.
ReplyDeleten Chris's speech on page 35-36, he describes the responsibility he feels to mankind. He describes how close he felt to the men in his company. The men in his company were so close that they basically "killed themselves for each other". Chris tells Ann that if these men had been a little more selfish, that they would have been here today. In war, Chris felt deep meaning in every little thing he did, because the men in his company did things not for themselves, but each other. This deep bond between is soldiers causes each soldier to feel responsible for all the other soldiers, not just themselves. Since Chris felt responsible for the rest of the soldiers, when he sees all his men dying in battle, Chris feels a sense of failure. Even though Chris may have survived the battles, his soldiers did not, and therefore Chris did not take responsibility for his soldiers. This responsibility of men looking out for each other is completely lost when Chris comes back home from war. Now Chris feels ashamed to be alive when every man in his company is dead. The moral responsibility Chris feels to these men is so strong that he feels ashamed of all the nice things he has in life, such as a new car or refrigerator, because Chris knows that these men could never have any of it, since they are dead. Chris's responsibilty for his soldiers is like the responsibily that a father would feel for all his sons.
ReplyDeleteThe responsibility Chris is talking about in his speech to Ann is the responsibility of each man for the life of another. On the battle field, "Everything was being destroyed" (35), and in the face of that all the soldiers could do was band together. They developed an incredibly strong bond with each other. They would have died for each other, and often did. They all felt responsible for the others in their unit and did everything they could to keep each other alive. The soldiers all become blatantly aware of the how fleeting life can be, and come to take nothing for granted. When they return home, and are no longer face with life and death situations at every moment, it becomes difficult to find meaning. Chris talks about feeling guilty for being alive, and coming back to a whole community of people who had not been affected by all the death and violence. He says if you don't then appreciate all you have, and try to be better, "there's blood" (36) on your hands, because men have died for you.
ReplyDeleteWhat Chris is talking about on pages 35-36, is the bond and therefore responsibility that the soldiers had for each other in the war, especially in combat. Chris says that the soldiers looked out for one another, cared for one another and loved one another because of the intense bonds that were created. Chris especially, because he was in command of a company, felt this responsibility extremely strongly. Chris became used to this responsibility for oneself and for one's comrades, that he really feels the stark contrast when he returns home. He not only feels the weight of not fulfilling his responsibility, because he lost his whole company, but he also feels the contrast of the level of responsibility consciousness that is lacking from the real world. He feels wrong because he has changed, "but nobody was changed at all" (36).
ReplyDeleteIn WWII, Chris forged a deep bond with the other members of his company. They had a deep respect and care for each other. Now that he's back, he feels like he needs to keep that responsibility of caring for others and valuing everything about life, which he feels he hasn't been doing completely. He feels ashamed that he is alive & living life normally, while all these men who he had such a strong relationship with are all dead. He is still missing the appreciation for the value of life that he had during the time of war.
ReplyDeleteIn Chris' monologue, he refers to the random acts of kindness that humans perform for each other regularly. It brings that to the attention of the reader, as to why it is human nature to sometimes sacrifice one of your belongings to aid another? Why would one not simply take for his own benefit? Chris answers that question in this soliloquy, saying that random acts of kindness are performed out of simple love and affection for another man. However, Chris refers to the war, and according to him, giving one's life for another is an act of kindness that cannot go overlooked. Chris said he had felt guilt or shame. He sees his surroundings, and he does not feel a change in humans around him, nor in himself, so he felt ashamed. To connect this to responsibility, I believe Chris is talking about how each person has a responsibility to another; to not let them fall, to watch over, to reach out, to give what you can. Also, when you receive something from another in this manner, you should appreciate and use it to its fullest extent.
ReplyDeleteChris, like many war veterans, is expressing his sense of longing for a greater purpose. In the battlefield, a soldier is all about sacrifice, heroism and survival, but on his return home, he realizes the idleness and pettiness of "normal life." It takes a while to get accustomed to live for his own, as Miller says, "selfish welfare," after feeling noble and heroic and giving so much of himself. When Chris returns home, he cares not about the money, nor his dad's business, but is still longing for more importance. He has to adjust to the dullness of ordinary life and look out for himself. In war, everyone was unified against one evil, but at home Miller states, "He must reassume its little prejudices, its hates, its tiny aims." Chris feels this insignificance, and living in the battlefield, it awakened a part of his humanness that could not be easily forgotten. As Chris called it, "A kind of...responsibility. Man for man," (Miller 35-36). He must smother a part of himself to fit in and live again back home, where every man is fighting for his own petty cause. He cannot erase what he experienced in war, which made him a better person, calling upon all he had, but now he must live a half of a life, suppressing the sense of greater humanity that he found during his experience of war. He sees civilian life for the pettiness and selfish lifestyle that it has a tendency to be.
ReplyDeleteIn Chris' speech to Ann he discusses the devotion among his fellow soldiers, and their felt obligation to protect one another. Chris speaks admiringly of the way other soldiers were completely selfless and fully dedicated to the men they fought beside. Chris' speech comes from the guilt he felt when he returned from the war; guilt for surviving, saying how it "felt wrong to be alive" (36). Chris also gives the speech to defend the commodities he returned to after the war;he says, "but when you drive the car you've got to know that it came out of the love a man can have for a man, you've got to be a little better because of that" (36). Chris' speech shows the guilt commonly felt by a war-survivor, guilt that resonates when he prospers from material items like new cars, and the difficulty he faced in returning to his daily life, where things are taken for granted.
ReplyDeleteIn this speech, Chris is describing the responsibility that comes from serving the greater good. His work on the battlefield was beneficial to the entire nation. Chris and his fellow veterans struggle to resume their normal life styles after witnessing so much destruction. Fighting for one's country is an extremely selfless act that truly exemplifies the meaning of responsibility for the common good. Chris says that if the men who died on the battlefield had been "a little more selfish, they'd've been here today" (35). What Chris witnessed on the battlefield puts his life into a different perspective that also impacts how he interacts with people. Chris describes, "This kid came to me, and gave me his last pair of dry socks. Put them in my pocket. That's only a little thing... but... that's the kind of guys I had. They didn't die; they killed themselves for each other" (35). Chris appreciated this simple act of kindness and will never forget the bonds he created while fighting for his country. Finally, Chris has started to question the value of his own life now that he has the opportunity to reflect on his experience serving the army. He feels undeserving of his comfortable life after being exposed to so much violence.
ReplyDeleteOn page 35-36, Chris reveals to Ann that most of the men he fought beside in the war had died. As he describes, "they killed themselves for each other," which shows their sacrifice and commitment. This represents the responsibility that those soldiers, including Chris, owed to each other and to their country, and this resulted in a strong brotherhood that grew between the men. Now that Chris is lucky enough to return home, alive and well, he feels a sense of guilt as he remembers his wartime responsibility to his men. No other person in the story can relate to him in this sense because they don't know what it was like. This speech shows the hard transition between soldier and civilian, as Chris no longer has a greater purpose to serve. Chris expresses his anxiety and shame to Ann because it will take him time to overcome these feelings, as the war environment is so different from his home environment.
ReplyDeleteIn his monologue, Chris muses about the responsibility during wartime he and his fellow comrades had for each other and for the greater good of their country. He says “They killed themselves for each other”, emphasizing the selflessness that one must embody when fighting in a war. However, as Chris goes on to say, that selfless attitude can get a man killed. You are not simply trying to stay alive for yourself, but rather willing to risk everything for your country and peers.
ReplyDeleteIn the speech to Ann, Chris explains a responsibility that he shared with the men he fought with during the war. He explains that this relationship isn't like any others, these men would virtually kill themselves to keep their fellow soldier alive. Each soldier had a responsibility to keep those around him alive, and if that meant giving up his own life, then that's what he would do. This kind of relationship where so much responsibility is involved put a strain on Chris when he returns home. He is amazed that not a single person is phased by the war, but they just continue living their normal lives. He starts to feel guilty because he didn't die. He didn't give his life for a fellow soldier, and he didn't take the responsibility of trying to keep them alive. He feels ashamed of his cowardliness and the fact that he didn't display enough bravery to give his life for another.
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