The Vietnam War In Zebra, By Chaim Potok

The Vietnam War affected a lot of people, both directly and indirectly. With thousands left dead in the war with over 2000 missing, it’s not a surprise that many people were left grieving for the loss of a loved one or hoping for the return of someone missing. The article, story, and letter we read showcased the effects the war had on the vets that survived the war and the families of those who did not. I will explain the effects of the war on vets, their family, and their friends. and the suffering they had to go through. I will summarize each and then give a reason as to why I think as such.
In the story Zebra by Chaim Potok the main plot is based around a boy nicknamed Zebra due to his running skills. One day while he was running he went …show more content…
Usually, he would sit back near the fence and watch the other kids play. That's when he saw him. He saw a man emerge from a nearby street. The man put his hand into a nearby trashcan as if he was fishing for something. When it seemed like he didn’t get what he was looking for, he put it back out. The man then saw the school. He began walking towards the school. The man saw Zebra and said hi. Zebra greeted him as well. The man asked a series of questions relating to summer then he asked if people would like an art class. Zebra said he didn’t know if people would like it. The man then asked him where the office was. The man thanked him and went on his way, but not before he told Zebra his name. His name was John Wilson. When Summer arrived, John Wilson started his art class. Zebra joined the art class because John insisted he do it. At first he didn’t like it, but after a while he liked it more and more until his hand felt better. By then Summer was almost over. At the end of the class Zebra made a helicopter figure. John Wilson left and thanked Zebra for presenting him the opportunity to teach an art class. He then proceeded to leave. One month later John Wilson sent him a letter. He revealed …show more content…
The article focuses heavily on the fact that there is a ton of variety to the gifts left at the wall each saying something about that vets life or how they died. The gifts could be simple things such as letters or something that had to do with that person specifically like a wooden cross. Every gift on the wall had some story to tell and with millions of people visiting the wall there are sure to be plenty of gifts thankfully the people who worked at the wall organised them. The first thing they talked about in the article was the design of the memorial. The memorial itself was a giant wall made of granite. Granite is a very reflective material and was used as symbolism for the vets on the memorial. The reflection symbolised how the vets were normal people just like everyone