LINDA. Did you ever think life would turn out like this.
MICHAEL. No.
Take a look here: this is the second deer hunt in the movie. It's different than the first. And going back to the wedding, there is the enigmatic Green Beret who answers Michael's question of "What's it like over there?" with "Fuck it." And here are our young men as they have become after the war.
And what is different about them.
Some questions for part of our discussion of the film. Pick one of the three below and answer it in depth. Make it the length of what you would normally write for 2 or 3 prompts.
A. "One shot." It was Michael's manta early in the film. Or, as he says to Nick back in the beginning of the film: "Two [shots] is pussy." Nick brings it back up when he faces Michael in the gambling den above. "One shot," he says, remembering (?) that earlier moment before Vietnam and Russian roulette and all that comes after, back when he said to Michael (which Michael reminds him of as he tries to get him to put the gun down), "I like the way the trees, you know? I like the way the trees are." We think when Nick says "one shot" that he will put the gun down...but he doesn't. So...
What does "one shot" stand for in the film?
B. Michael is always in his uniform. He has a trailer full of clothes, yet he never takes off his uniform, let alone take off his Green beret—unless he's going hunting or getting out of bed with Linda. So Why the uniform? Why does he not take it off? Mention a moment from today's viewing in your response.
(And the uniform tells us a lot about who or what Michael has become in the army: one, he's Special Forces, an elite branch of the army—hence the Green Beret; two, he's Airborne, another elite branch (they jump out of planes); three, he's Ranger tabbed, which means he's been through the hardest leadership program in the army, if not the entire U.S. military. In other words, he's a super soldier.)
C. Look at the previous blog and look at what Charlotte wrote. If you agree with her—and Charlotte, you're welcome to add to what you wrote—discuss her observation in greater depth. Mention something from today's viewing in your response.
See you tomorrow. The ending is contentious. Why aren't you surprised?
Prompt C... I think Charlotte does a great job of summarizing the message of the film. We have been excavating masculinity a lot in this class, and I think this take on the film does that well. Charlotte says, “The movie deals with human emotions and masculinity.” I think this line is really interesting because it separates human emotion and masculinity as two different entities. The goal of society should be to combine these two concepts. Potentially, masculinity should be an emotion rather than a strict box and a way of losing people. We see how certain men interact with masculinity through Michael, Nick, Steven, Stan, Axel, etc, but specifically through Michael. Michael is the one constant of the film through whom we see the other characters. The scene where Michael desperately tries to save Nick has really stood out to me. The expression on Nick’s face as he pulled the trigger was chilling. I think Nick shows that society’s view of masculinity as something separate from emotion is inaccurate. Nick has obviously lost his sanity and his identity, which has been replaced by the absolute extreme of “manliness.” We see this loss in the hospital (when Nick cannot remember his parents’ birthdays and is almost incapable of speech) which is how (in the end) Nick perfectly depicts society’s ideal “masculinity:” unaffected by the distractions of emotion, unshakeable, willing to face anything. If we take these attributes as the definition of masculinity, I think this sense of manliness could be (and evidently is) appealing, especially in the mindset of “survival of the species” but when we see these characteristics actually visibly applied to a human being, which we see in Nick’s final moment, it is terrifying.
ReplyDeletePrompt A: In the beginning of the film, when we first hear the phrase “one shot”, it is referring to hunting. They were saying that you had to hit and kill the deer in one shot, fire any more and you lose your dignity and bragging rights. As the film goes on, it’s connection to the theme of Russian roulette becomes clear. Russian roulette is, of course, played with one shot in the gun. While the connection between the phrase “one shot” and Russian roulette is clear before Micheal faces Nick near the end of the move, they are brought together by Nick saying “one shot” before he shoots himself. Micheal means it to stand for home, for what their lives were like before the war, but for Nick it stands for the one filled chamber in the gun. Even if Micheal had convinced Nick to put the gun down and to come home, its seems as though Nick wouldn’t have been able to adjust back to civilian life; he wouldn’t have been able to hear “one shot” and think of hunting before Russian roulette.
ReplyDeleteB) As said in the prompt, Michael’s uniform shows who he was in the Army: an airborne graduate, a green beret, and a ranger. Michael was the best; he was an elite soldier in almost any sense. People don’t simply “become” elite rangers, airborne graduates or green berets with ease; Michael’s achievement of all three shows that he thrived in the Army. He was the best. However, when Michael returned home, he didn’t know where to go. All his friends and Linda had a party ready for him, but he went to a Motel instead. Michael returns from Vietnam to a town that is very different from the life he has been living. Michael is confused about where he fits back into his hometown, how to live his life when he doesn’t know where Steve or Nick are, how he should act with Linda, and how she feels about him. Michael’s uniform puts him back into his previous life: an elite soldier who is in control. Michael’s uniform comforts him by reminding him of the ordered, understandable life he supposedly lead in the Army, given his rank and status (other than Vietnam, of course). Interestingly, the only time we see him out of his full uniform in his and medals in his hometown is when he goes to pick up Linda from the store, but even then he wears an army jacket. The only time Michael truly leaves his uniform (and by extension, his identity) behind is when he returns to Saigon and has to take a new identity: the mysterious rich American with a mission. Michael’s uniform is a coping mechanism. He uses it to bring him back into a more ordered and less confusing time in his life. The only times he takes it off are when he is comfortable with the familiarity of being with Linda and when he takes on the narrative of the strange American in Saigon.
ReplyDeleteA. In this movie, "one shot" symbolizes so much. First of all, Micheal brags in the beginning of the movie about being able to kill a deer with only one shot. It's almost as if being able to kill a deer with one shot is what defines, in Micheal's eyes, his masculinity. Then during the second deer hunt, following Micheal's return home from the war, he can not shoot a deer that isn't even moving and is right in sight with one shot. Micheal misses the deer completely. The war has changed Micheal. Some would think that Micheal would return home from the war and be even better at shooting a deer with just one shot because of the firearm training from war, but this is obviously not the case. Micheal is no longer the man he used to be. Similar to Ron Kovic, Micheal has lost what defined him as a man and what made him proud and happy. Both went to war wanting to prove themselves as strong men, and came back stripped of their masculinity. Also, one shot in this movie symbolizes the risk of one shot in the game Russian roulette. One shot is the difference between life and death, the difference between becoming rich with money, and shooting yourself in the head. It only takes one unlucky shot and then you're dead.
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ReplyDeletePrompt B) It is very interesting that in Clairton Michael wears his uniform everywhere, but when he goes back to Vietnam for Nick, he wears a suit. Part of the reason he wears his uniform could be because he is proud of the rank that he came to be in the army. However, I think that the main reason why he wears his uniform is because he feels nothing like the man he used to be. The clothes in the trailer are not his clothes. They are old Micheal’s clothes. Old Michael stayed in Vietnam with Nick. That could be a reason why he wears a suit in Vietnam. He is returning to his old self, but when he goes back to Clairton with Nick’s body, the man he used to be died when Nick shot himself in Saigon. I was surprised when Micheal wore his uniform to Nick’s funeral because if I were Micheal I think that I would be angry at the army for turning Nick into a shell of himself. As I said above, though, I think that Micheal no longer feels comfortable in his other clothes and he wears his uniform like armor. He uses his uniform to detach himself from his surroundings. He used to wear what everyone else in Clairton wore because he used to be like them, but since he is not like them anymore he would feel like an imposter if he put his old clothes back on. I also do not think that he wants to be like the person he was before the war. He has seen other parts of the world and met new people. He probably has a new perspective on life. The uniform is a manifestation of his inner desire to build a new a life of order and purpose for himself, so he does not become lost in the banality of life in Clairton. Or maybe he wishes for his life to be mundane once more and loathes having to deal with all of his traumatic experiences while trying to continue on like nothing happened. Wearing his uniform is his way of telling other people and himself that he has changed.
ReplyDeleteB: I think it is interesting that before going off to war, Michael stripped down naked in public while running through the streets in a drunk and vulnerable moment. However, by the end of the film, he will barely take off his uniform. He goes from a man that will expose himself, to one that doesn’t feel comfortable without being fully dressed. His uniform is not only symbolic of his high rank, but also of his inability to reacclimate to civilian life. He is unable to fit in or joke around with his friends because of his experiences at war. He puts up a barrier both physically (with his rigid and intimidating outfit) as well as emotionally. I think this barrier is especially present when the group goes bowling. His relationship with Stan is strained, and he stands off to the side in full uniform, instead of bowling. He is the odd one out. I also think he is wearing the uniform for movie purposes. It emphasizes the similarities between the soldier at the wedding reception and post-war Michael. He has become that emotionally-damaged man in the uniform who does not fit in socially. Lastly, it is interesting to me that Michael continues to wear his uniform, despite not seeming to want attention. He avoids his welcome home party and distances himself from the people in his hometown, yet he continues to wear an outfit that constantly reminds people of where he has been and maybe even encourages them to ask questions.
ReplyDeleteC. Look at the previous blog and look at what Charlotte wrote. If you agree with her—and Charlotte, you're welcome to add to what you wrote—discuss her observation in greater depth. Mention something from today's viewing in your response.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Charlotte. So far, masculinity has been a recurring theme throughout much of this class, and this movie is no exception. It is evident that all of the main characters are male: Micheal, Nick, Steve, Stan, and Axel. In addition, like Charlotte said, all of the female characters are in relation to the males: they are either their wives or their lovers. However, I disagree a bit when Charlotte says that Linda is only there to be a love interest of Micheal and Nick. I believe that although most of the women in the movie depends on the man’s character, the women are the foil characters in the movie. They are there to bring out more emotion and character development to the men, giving the audience more information in how they would react in the situations of love, hate, and heartbreak. One could also argue that the women in the movie perhaps reflect the societal norms of that time era. That would explain the perspective that the women in the movie revolve around the men because during that time period, that was what was expected of them.
B) Although I don’t think he is in any way yearning for the war, Michael seems to not know how to get out of it entirely either. Like the old soldier, his time in Vietnam is incredibly traumatic and changes him. However, it’s also an indelible part of his identity, in many ways replacing parts of who he was before. Even if the Green Beret at the beginning responds to Michael’s question with, “Fuck it,” there doesn’t seem like there’s much else to cling to when they get home. At the very least, he was good at what he did as a soldier. It It can’t hurt that it also confers status to him at home. Unlike Stevie and Nick, he does manage to physically come home. That being said, it seems part of him probably also wants to avoid home and the fact that he’s changed enough for it to not quite be the home and safety it was. He can’t be his old, civilian self, and the uniform is a coping mechanism to create distance between him and his community and make him feel like less of an imposter. It’s as if not trying to fit in is less painful than trying and seeing that it doesn’t work. In some ways, he’s not finished with Vietnam either. From what we’ve seen, most of his time during the war was spent trying to save his friends and keep them safe. Coming back without either of them, nor any idea where they might be, might have also influenced his decision to keep wearing the uniform. Perhaps he’s still holding out hope that he will have the power to find them again and guarantee their safety.
ReplyDeletePrompt A: Over the course of the film, the phrase “one shot” comes to stand for the pride and strength of masculinity. At first, “one shot” refers to hunting and Michael’s capability of killing a deer with a single pull of the trigger. Hunting is Michael’s pride and joy, a talent of his that evolves to become a defining characteristic of his masculinity. As he says in the film, “Two [shots] is pussy.” This theme of masculinity and what it means to be a man is drawn throughout the entire movie (think of what Charlotte said in her blog -- this movie tells the story of men, from a masculine perspective) until we come to the scene in which Michael and Nick once again face off in a round of Russian roulette. Within the context of this scene, one can take “one shot” to mean the manner in which Russian roulette is played; with one bullet in the chamber. Yet I feel as if this phrase has a greater significance, especially given the exchange between Nick and Michael. Michael tries to tell Nick to put the gun down, reminding him of their last hunting trip and the trees of home. But all that Nick hears is his failed masculinity, and this time when he says “one shot,” he does so in an effort to prove to himself and to Michael that he is a man, he is strong, he is dignified, and then he is dead.
ReplyDeleteC.) Charlotte’s response about the movie being a coming of age story about men is absolutely correct. The movie has explored the theme of masculinity from the very beginning by depicting these boys as stereotypically as possible. As the movie progresses the group of men we follow loose their innocence and become numb to normal life. The scene with Steve stuck out to me because, like Ron Kovic, he has lost much of what masculinity means by having the lower half of his body lost in the war. When Micheal comes to bring him back home, he begs Micheal to let him stay in the hospital because he won’t belong in his old life anymore. Steves way of life, in which masculinity was very much emphasized, has been completely changed by his injury. He can no longer hunt or goof off as he and his friends used to before the war. Steve’s example of change translates to other characters like Micheal and Nick. Although they do not suffer from physical disablement, they are unable to live life as they used to. The war has traumatized Nick so much that he is reduced to a person who seems to live only to prove his bravery through Russian Roulette and maybe subconsciously to prove his masculinity. Micheal, on the other hand, seems to be more vulnerable and less of a stereotypical man than he used to be before the war. He doesn’t sleep with Linda the first time they are in bed together, and he also does not shoot the dear when he is hunting. He is unable to cut back to his old life. This movie shows how the war has impacted these men’s masculinity in unique ways.
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ReplyDelete"One shot." It was Michael's manta early in the film. Or, as he says to Nick back in the beginning of the film: "Two [shots] is pussy." Nick brings it back up when he faces Michael in the gambling den above. "One shot," he says, remembering (?) that earlier moment before Vietnam and Russian roulette and all that comes after, back when he said to Michael (which Michael reminds him of as he tries to get him to put the gun down), "I like the way the trees, you know? I like the way the trees are." We think when Nick says "one shot" that he will put the gun down...but he doesn't. So...
ReplyDeleteWhat does "one shot" stand for in the film?
Prompt A: I think that “one shot” is a metaphor for life in this film. Not only does it harness the cliche “you only live once,” but it also shows that life can be taken away in one shot. The deer Michael kills on the first hunting trip shows this idea primarily, and the man who shoots himself in the roulette game serves as a parallel to the deer. When the film begins, Michael hunts the deer and has no hesitation when killing. He does not understand the idea that life is valuable. When in Vietnam, Michael learns the value of life because he is no longer the one controlling his own fate, which is also portrayed by the roulette game because of its arbitrary nature. This change in his character, is exemplified when he purposefully misses the shot at the deer when he is hunting. He now knows the value of life, and the one shot that all living things have. Finally, when Nick says, “one shot” at the end of the film, he is foreshadowing his own death because he understands the power of “one shot.” Nick understands that this life, his one shot, is over and, thus, proceeds to shoot himself.
Prompt B: Michael doesn’t take off his uniform because he doesn’t want to talk about the war. I remember a scene when he first got back, and his friends joked to him “What? You go and win the whole war yourself?” And Michael grins and nods along, but aside from angling his chest so that they can better see his medals, he doesn’t have to do much explaining. And why would he? His escape from that riverside prison was intense, and while he is also an intense personality, I’m not sure that he would feel comfortable sharing that moment with even his friends. Remember how he throws Stan’s gun away that night in the mountains. Rather than explain his uncharacteristic reaction to the threats, he just gets rid of it. We aren’t going to talk about it anymore. I also have to think that he has a lot of pride. If I win a competition and am given a shirt, I’ll wear it. If I play for a sports team that is good, I’ll let the world know. This is a very relatable trait, I would think, and perhaps the most reasonable motivation for him to never take off his military uniform.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDelete1) The part that stuck with me the most was the scene in the hospital where Nick is struggling to answer questions about his family and life before the war. It was particularly heartbreaking to see how frustrated he was that he could not remember such simple things, things that clearly should come to him naturally. You can clearly see how upset this makes him when he breaks down in tears, realizing that he doesn’t even know his own mothers birthday. Information that was likely once second nature has been taken from him by the war, and clearly, this fact is hard for him to accept.
2) Clairton is very similar to Massapequa in the sense that everyone living there knows one another, seemingly forever. This sense of community is extremely visible in the wedding scene: everyone is laughing, and no one is a stranger. However, Clairton is also different from Massapequa in the sense that its flaws are visible and out in the open. The audience sees the alcoholism, adultery, abuse and vulgarity of the town in plain sight. While Kovic’s description of Massapequa is not perfect, one does not see its imperfections so clearly. They are much more hidden by his youth and naivety.
3) I am extremely drawn to Stevie as a character, for many reasons. The first being that he has not succumbed to the calloused masculinity that his friend group seems to have slipped into. He often times does not know what to do, ask others for help, leans on the support of people around him. The other men in the story, Nick and Michael, rarely do the same. I think of Stevie as the “Upham” of this story. He is vulnerable, scared, anxious. The audience can relate to him and use him as a way to measure the extremity of situations in the war and at home.
4) To be completely honest, I’m not sure what this movie is about, and I appreciate that. It’s not about Vietnam, it’s not about Clairton. It’s not about the war, and it’s not about small town life. The movie itself is incredibly imperfect and hard to follow. It jumps around from one location and one time period to another without warning. It is crude, politically incorrect, and quite messy in its historical inaccuracy. But in this way, this film is an incredible representation of life itself. Life isn’t perfect, life is messy. This movie isn’t about the war or America, it’s about life.