Final Paper
Look! I'm Cheri's Paper! And I Am Finally Done!
I'm really boring though, so I understand if you don't want to read...
It's due tomorrow, any concrit is appreciated!
Trumbo As Teacher
Year after year, public school districts all over the United States meticulously choose the required reading curriculum for high school students. In order to promote diversity, school districts include books that have been written by authors of different ethnicities and genders. In addition to political correctness, books are also chosen for their underlying message. Books that are centered around war, religion, homosexuality, sex, and suicide are often omitted from school libraries, regardless of the fact that these things are a part of everyday life in American society. The novel Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo contains a powerful and moving message regarding the evils of war. Incorporating Johnny Got His Gun into the high school curriculum is important because it encourages students to think about a controversial issue that is present in American society today- the war in Iraq.
One of the main focus points of the 2004 presidential election was the war in Iraq. By grade 12 some high school students are voting, and almost all high school seniors reach voting age within a year of graduating. It is important for these young adults to be educated on the true barbarity of war because it is often painted as romantic, heroic, and patriotic. Trumbo depicts war as gruesome, unjust, and senseless- a sharp contrast to traditional viewpoints. Trumbo encourages the reader to question reasons for going to war and to decide whether or not those reasons justify risking human lives. Joe Bonham, the protagonist in Johnny Got His Gun, states, "I would trade democracy for life. I would trade independence and honor and freedom and decency for life. I will give you all these things and you give me the power to walk and see and hear and breath the air and taste my food" (Trumbo 118). Reading this novel may encourage young voters to do more research before casting their ballots. It may also encourage them to think about the pain and suffering war causes, which will prevent them from taking the subject lightly.
Currently, anyone who does not support the war in Iraq is branded by the media and the general public as "unpatriotic." For example, the Dixie Chicks, a popular country music group, spoke openly about their opposition to President Bush’s decision to go to war. As a result, radio stations refused to play their songs, fellow musicians openly criticized them, and they were branded as anti-American. The United States has taken on a "with us or against us" attitude regarding the Iraqi War, and it is no longer safe to be critical of the government or the decisions it makes. In 1939 when Trumbo composed the novel, there were similar problems in American society. "[...] if anyone dared say the hell with fighting it’s all the same each war is like the other and nobody gets any good out of it why they hollered coward" (Trumbo 112). It is important for students to learn that it is okay to question decisions the government makes. Trumbo’s novel makes the reader question the ethicality of war, regardless of the circumstances under which it is declared.
High school students rarely have the privilege of being exposed to materials that challenge what is considered socially acceptable or appropriate. As a result, students take on these conformist ideals, and never think to question the ethicality of them. By incorporating Johnny Got His Gun into the curriculum students would have the opportunity to read a novel that defies social norms regarding a very serious and important subject- war. It is important for students to learn about the severe consequences war can have, and Trumbo’s novel does not sugarcoat those repercussions. By encouraging high school students to read this book schools would be encouraging them to make responsible decisions for society as a whole, and to solve all conflicts non-violently. Values such as these ultimately improve American society all together.