Wars are often glamorized and glorified by governments and state officials, when in reality wars are psychologically destructive and life changing events. These tactics that were used to reel in naïve men, failed to expose them with the realities of what was to become of them after the war. The short stories “Soldier’s Home” and “A Perfect Day for Bananafish,” offer an insight to how life really is after war veterans return back home. These stories not only realistically depict how detrimental wars can be to the lives of these people who serve their country, but they describe how life changing it can be for the people who surround these wounded war veterans. Throughout “A Perfect Day for Bananafish” there’s a sense of tension and miscommunication
…show more content…
In both stories, the authors offer two different, yet compelling stories about families affected by the war. In “The Perfect Day for Bananafish” Seymour’s mother in law and wife are in constant fear as to what is to come of Seymour. The mother in law is constantly worried because of Seymour’s change in personality. On the other hand, his wife’s inability to believe that he is psychologically unstable is the biggest tragedy of it all. Her certainty that his mental health is fine leads to his unfortunate suicide. In Seymour’s case the war followed him home. But unlike the war he served in, now his new enemy is himself. Seymour was so uncomfortable with in the world as an adult that suicide seemed to be his only solution. As a result of his suicide, his wife is probably paying the emotional cost of his actions. Many of the situations this couple went though was indirectly a result of the war. Just like Seymour many returning veterans too, suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome and never fully recover from it. Like Seymour himself, many of these returning war veterans cant assimilate into a new world as they return home so suicide is the only option. Many families lose their significant others in the battlefield but most lose their significant other after the war, when its least
In both stories, the authors offer two different, yet compelling stories about families affected by the war. In “The Perfect Day for Bananafish” Seymour’s mother in law and wife are in constant fear as to what is to come of Seymour. The mother in law is constantly worried because of Seymour’s change in personality. On the other hand, his wife’s inability to believe that he is psychologically unstable is the biggest tragedy of it all. Her certainty that his mental health is fine leads to his unfortunate suicide. In Seymour’s case the war followed him home. But unlike the war he served in, now his new enemy is himself. Seymour was so uncomfortable with in the world as an adult that suicide seemed to be his only solution. As a result of his suicide, his wife is probably paying the emotional cost of his actions. Many of the situations this couple went though was indirectly a result of the war. Just like Seymour many returning veterans too, suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome and never fully recover from it. Like Seymour himself, many of these returning war veterans cant assimilate into a new world as they return home so suicide is the only option. Many families lose their significant others in the battlefield but most lose their significant other after the war, when its least