The Untouchability Of War In Richard Aldington's Death Of A Hero

Yuval Harari’s claim that war is a specific experience only truly understood by those who have endured the experience themselves is a common conception that is frequently accepted even to this day. It is easy to understand how one would believe that war changes the people who have experienced it considering the wide range of literature that has been devoted to portraying this idea of the untouchability of war. The fact that so many artists and writers have dedicated their lives to creating pieces of work in attempts to authentically express the truth behind war echoes Havari’s belief that war is “impossible to describe” to those who lack experience. Due to the possibilities of various interpretations of the events that take place in Richard Aldington’s novel Death of a Hero, it is fair to say that there could be evidence gathered to both support and refute …show more content…
Throughout his novel, Aldington uses his characters strategically, creating comparisons and contrasts between each of the characters, specifically focusing on the similarities and differences between various characters and George. The format of the novel beginning with the entire history of George’s life, including his personal characteristics and long descriptions of the people that surrounded him as he grew up sets up a well-defined distinction between life before and after war. The in-depth descriptions of the mental and physical scars left behind by war for George become more valuable as the readers learn of the powerful creations of trust and love that arise due to the negative aspects of war. All of these elements within Death of a Hero inflate Havari’s ideas of the somewhat magical exclusivity that forms as each individual experiences their own version of