Brittany Howard, the band’s singer, belts out “Living ain't no fun/ The constant dedication/ Keeping the water and power on/ There ain't nobody left/ Why can't I catch my breath?/ I'm gonna work myself to death”. Just like the soldiers in Vietnam, there seems to be no end to the monotony and pain for Brittany. Tim O’Brien mentions in his book how Vietnam’s calm was never really calm, because at any point you could go from an relaxing day to being shot at out of nowhere by the Vietnamese. Constant stress and weariness seem to be a theme in both works.
Ms. Howard and Tim O’Brien both also have trouble standing up from the crowd and doing what they really want. Brittany explains how “Lying down ain't easy/ When everyone is pleasing”. It’s hard for her to stop and give up, even though it seems to be what’s best for her. O’Brien faces a very similar problem. He describes how him and all of his fellow soldiers “Carried the soldier’s greatest fear, which was the fear of blushing. Men killed, and died, because they were embarrassed not to” (20). Both Howard and O’Brien do something that they are against because they think it goes with the crowd, or dominant ideology. Additionally, the name of the song, "Don't Wanna Fight" is almost the exact same thing as the sentiment expressed in many of O'Briens stories. I think this is an important lesson for all of us, especially at time when fitting in is supposed to be of great importance.
Ms. Howard and Tim O’Brien both also have trouble standing up from the crowd and doing what they really want. Brittany explains how “Lying down ain't easy/ When everyone is pleasing”. It’s hard for her to stop and give up, even though it seems to be what’s best for her. O’Brien faces a very similar problem. He describes how him and all of his fellow soldiers “Carried the soldier’s greatest fear, which was the fear of blushing. Men killed, and died, because they were embarrassed not to” (20). Both Howard and O’Brien do something that they are against because they think it goes with the crowd, or dominant ideology. Additionally, the name of the song, "Don't Wanna Fight" is almost the exact same thing as the sentiment expressed in many of O'Briens stories. I think this is an important lesson for all of us, especially at time when fitting in is supposed to be of great importance.
I think you did a good job of connecting the two works. I've listened to this song a lot and I never thought of it in the context of war. I like how you used large portions of the song to illustrate your point instead of just singular lines. Good job!
ReplyDeleteI love how you connected the two of these. I've never viewed it in that way, but you really brought out the similarities. Nice job!
ReplyDeleteGood connection. The connection between the two works makes the truths about war for both seem so much more real. The song names themselves tell so much even without the context of The Things They Carried.
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