His Eyes Through My Eyes

Author's note:

This was my point of view piece. I did a 3rd person analysis of the main character of the book Black Hawk Down, Mike Durant.

Mike Durant goes through more fear and hopelessness in the book Black Hawk Down, than most of us will in a lifetime. The morning of that fatal day that he would endure a so much pain and fear, did not start out in a bad way. It had just started out as a normal routine mission, protecting the troops on the ground, but it soon would become much more than that.

During US engagements in Somalia, Capt. Mike Durant, was a Army Black Hawk pilot.  But on one fatal day in October his “routine” mission would change his life forever. He would almost loose his life. He loses his friends, and at some times his sanity.

He was tasked with flying a helicopter to provide cover for their troops on the  ground. When suddenly his helicopter is hit with a rocket, and spins out of control, hurling toward the ground. On the crash landing, Mike, and his co- pilot, are knocked out. The two men in the back were not so lucky.

When Mike regains consciousness, he manages to free himself, and his badly wounded friend. Mike soon realizes he had crashed right in the middle of the war zone, and enemies are moving in out his position. He soon is aided by two stray soldiers, but they are soon killed. Mike then is knocked un conscious.

He wakes up in a strange house on a bed, and realizes the man who took him here is not an enemy, but someone who is also fighting against the same enemies. Mike is free to go as soon as the military can extract him, which is going to be a while.

Finally after a few weeks, Mike’s friends and soldiers are finally able to extract him, and get him medical, treatment. Later Mike hears of his co pilot’s death. He is not able to re-join the fight on account of his broken ribs, arm , and, leg. Mike had overcome extreme adversary, and had a perspective on the whole ordeal through his own eyes. 

Similarities and Differences

 Author's note:

In social studies we had to read a book abut the Revolutionary War, then do a compare and contrast it to the movie The  Patriot. I compared it the book Forge. Both stories have sad, and happy parts, but end up peaceful. Both main characters show great courage in the face of adversary, but not always in the way we would expect.

The Revolutionary War was of the most pivotal wars in our world’s history. And it has inspired countless books, and movies on its subject. Two of which are the book Forge, by Laurie Halse Anderson, and the movie The Patriot. 

The Patriot

In The Patriot, the main character, Benjamin, is a war veteran, and now lives in South Carolina, with his 7 children. His youngest child has not talked to him since his wife died, and for the better part of the movie, does not say a word to anyone. Against his will his oldest son joins the continental army. Reluctantly after his son returns home only to be captured by the British, does he decide to join the war.

His second oldest son is killed in front of him trying to keep the soldiers from taking his brother. Benjamin and his sons ambush the convoy taking his son, and kill every single troop, accept one, who later tells of being attacked by a “ghost.” After recovering, Benjamin, and his son Gabriel, re-join the army and lead a militia force.

The small militia force defeats countless British convoys with tactics, now known as Guerilla warfare. They end up acquiring multiple personal items of Gen. Cornwallis, including a pair of Great Danes. Benjamin uses these to re-claim some of his captured soldiers.

Eventually Gabriel gets married to a childhood friend, and gets to enjoy marriage for a few days, before his wife, and her family and friends are burned alive in a church. In the next few days Gabriel seeks vengeance against the man who took his brother, home, and wife. He shoots him, but is stabbed to death by the British officer. Benjamin, upon witnessing this now seeks vengeance of his own.

Benjamin, now leads the last remaining militia in the most important battle they had ever been in. Colonel Tavington, the man who killed his  sons, personally targets Benjamin. The two engage in a duel, where Tavington causes Benjamin to loose his tomahawk and prepares to finish him. Benjamin spins around and stabs him with a bayonet. The two both lock eyes as Benjamin delivers the coup de grace, stabbing his throat. Justifying his son's deaths. The battle is won as French troops arrive to help the Americans. Eventually  due to the fighting, Cornwallis is forced to surrender. A bunch of farmers had just won the freedom for an entire nation.

Forge

In the book Forge, the main character, Curzon is a past war veteran, but not the same as Benjamin. He is as was a slave. He thought fighting in his masters place would grant him freedom, he was wrong. So he ran away to the war, where he joins the military as a Private.

Everything seems to be going fine, until his master shows up as a general. His master, Bellingham, invites him to spend the day at his mansion. Curzon, not knowing what he was

When arriving at Bellingham’s, mansion he is greeted happily by Bellingham. After a meal, and some talk, Bellingham states that Curzon will be staying with him. Curzon tries to resist and run away but he is just caught by guards.

Curzon is forced to live there for about one month, until Bellingham orders for another slave. He ends up getting the little girl that helped Curzon escape Bellingham in the first place. He name was Isabel, and she was just as surprised to see Curzon as he was, but did not show any emotion on her face. They are both forced to serve under Bellingham, and any generals that would stop by.

In the coming months, the army force Curzon used to be a part of moves to their area. Curzon is able to meet up with one of his old friends, and manages to hatch a plan to escape, slavery, both him and Isabel. After weeks of planning and waiting the two finally escape captivity and head toward the military camp. Finally… they were both free.

Conclusion

In both The Patriot, and Forge, the main characters are fighting for what they believe in, and for those they love. Benjamin fought for the vengeance of his sons, and for his family. Whereas Curzon was fighting for his own freedom, which was unheard of in this era. Both of these stories depicted of ordinary men fighting for something more than what they had. But they had one thing in common that was the most important, they were fighting for a new nation of freedom.

Story Time

Author's note: this will be my retelling piece. I will be retelling the story that goes on in the book Saving Pvt. Ryan by Max Allen Collins. This piece will be something new for me, as I have never done a retelling piece both last year, and this year. In this piece I will be trying to not bore the reader with the story but still tell the story.

The book begins with the infamous invasion of Normandy France, D-Day. It focuses on possibly, the most famous beach landing: the American invasion on Omaha Beach. During the fight, chaos is all that surrounds Captain John H Miller. He watches all around as bombs explode, people drop from gun fire, and wounded soldiers, too young to be in the war, cry for help.

Somehow, through all the chaos, troops are able to head up the tall hills, take out the German gunners, pinning down their comrades, and secure the beach. Once the beach is secure, Miller is informed that a soldier had become MIA in the night air raids. But there was something special about this soldier, he had lost all four of his brothers in the last day, and they were going to rescue him. His name was, PVC James Ryan.

Miller and his squad embark on a three day journey to find Ryan, loosing two of their men, along the way.They eventually find him in a small destroyed town with three other MIA paratroopers. They get there just in time to hold off the attacking Germans. After the fighting, Miller informs Ryan of his brother's deaths, and tells him that they are taking him home. Ryan promptly responds, "Tell my mother, that you have found me, here and I was with the only brothers I had left." Miller and his squad decide to stay and help the troops defend the bridge keeping the Germans out of the town.

The soldiers have a few hours to ready up for the attack. The German offensive front, consisted of 55 well trained soldiers, two tanks, and anti- air artillery. The few rugged soldiers are able to hold off the invading attacks, for a while. As one by one, almost all the Americans are killed, and the Germans advance further over the bridge. Ryan, Miller, and the few surviving soldiers, are all out of hope, as another wave of tanks advance. Their hope is renewed as American planes, and soldiers destroy the tanks, and eliminate the troops. Miller is mortally wounded, and dies shortly after the attack ends.

The closing scene is Ryan, as an old man, visiting Miller's grave. He remembers, what they did to save him.It ends with His grandson coming up to him and hugging him. Ryan then leaves the grave of the man who gave everything to save him.