In Pat Barker’s novel “Regeneration,” lies a profound conflict of both a psychological and political problem. At the heart of these conflicts, homosexuals were being tormented when trying to decide whether they should live life for themselves or to pretend to be someone they are not, in order to blend in with the world. Although, society seems to decide what is and what is not socially acceptable, however what gives it the unparalleled power to worship certain ideals and condemn others. Both men and women have suffered throughout history being neglected for simply experiencing love the “wrong way.” Men in particular had a more traumatizing and horrendous experience, a few examples include, incarceration, social defamation, and dishonorable
…show more content…
A relationship, like the one he had with his men, involves a level of caring and comradeship between all fellow soldiers, but society still easily confused the type of loyalty and friendship soldiers had as homosexual. People also believed that having certain affection towards one another would engendered the better and the outcome of the army. Furthermore, the novel is filled with a variety of complex intricate and intimate relationships, most commonly among soldiers, due to the prolonged time spent with one another in the battlefield. An example from Barker’s novel would be Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen, two brothers in arms who had mutual friendship eventually leading Owen to developing romantic feelings for Sassoon. Although, “Owen and Sassoon found themselves enmeshed in constructions of gender that… Their understanding of their own homosexuality encouraged them to self-identify as essentially feminine beings with masculine bodies” (Campbell p 3). Although, Dr. Rivers tries to explain to Sassoon that there are limits and during times of war, strong friendships and connections between men in combat should be encouraged, but “at the same time there's always this little niggle of anxiety. Is it the right kind of love” (Regeneration p ). This lead some soldiers to believe that …show more content…
A classic case of two wrongs do not make a right, justifying a hateful act toward the individuals for a victimless crime is a preposterous solution. Illegalizing homosexuality is not a solution, it is a blanket ban that creates moral conflict within society and fractures the bond of military brotherhood. Homosexuality is not an act it is an identity and to say it is wrong is to say existence is futile, an identity can not wrong nor right, an identity that can't be erased by dehumanizing it, homosexuality will always be a part of society from the ancient Greek to 19th century Britain to the 21st
A relationship, like the one he had with his men, involves a level of caring and comradeship between all fellow soldiers, but society still easily confused the type of loyalty and friendship soldiers had as homosexual. People also believed that having certain affection towards one another would engendered the better and the outcome of the army. Furthermore, the novel is filled with a variety of complex intricate and intimate relationships, most commonly among soldiers, due to the prolonged time spent with one another in the battlefield. An example from Barker’s novel would be Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen, two brothers in arms who had mutual friendship eventually leading Owen to developing romantic feelings for Sassoon. Although, “Owen and Sassoon found themselves enmeshed in constructions of gender that… Their understanding of their own homosexuality encouraged them to self-identify as essentially feminine beings with masculine bodies” (Campbell p 3). Although, Dr. Rivers tries to explain to Sassoon that there are limits and during times of war, strong friendships and connections between men in combat should be encouraged, but “at the same time there's always this little niggle of anxiety. Is it the right kind of love” (Regeneration p ). This lead some soldiers to believe that …show more content…
A classic case of two wrongs do not make a right, justifying a hateful act toward the individuals for a victimless crime is a preposterous solution. Illegalizing homosexuality is not a solution, it is a blanket ban that creates moral conflict within society and fractures the bond of military brotherhood. Homosexuality is not an act it is an identity and to say it is wrong is to say existence is futile, an identity can not wrong nor right, an identity that can't be erased by dehumanizing it, homosexuality will always be a part of society from the ancient Greek to 19th century Britain to the 21st