The Yellow Birds Analysis

The Yellow Birds certainly put things in perspective regarding war and gunfights even though it is a fictional book. It surely gives it credibility that Kevin Powers went to Iraq when he was enlisted so the firefights that were included may have been based off his experience. The thoughts of Bartle and Murph during the firefights gave the impression of what actual people might think during those adrenaline filled and horrifying moments. It allowed readers to relate to the thoughts of Bartle and Murph because they are the age of the audience and still show resistance to killing others. In that way, it also allows the audience to face the same realities as the main characters of The Yellow Birds. Before the realities are broken down two questions …show more content…
Bartle and Murph always talk about how they do not want to be the one thousandth death. In order to avoid their death, they must kill. Everyday when they wake up could be their last day and in order to ensure they wake up the next morning they have to take someone else’s tomorrow away. Soldiers across the world from any country that experienced war knows that the constant fear of death looms over the battlefield. That fear could be from them dying, their buddies dying in war or just the fear of having to take someone’s life. One reality Americans do not have to face is that our military actions have legit consequences. Americans are so far removed from the act of war due to it being across the Atlantic Ocean and in the Middle East. Media usually does not cover the war while it is going on unless some American troops died. Not only is the American public removed from war but even some soldiers are removed from war. With the increasing use of drones, drone operators are removed from the act of killing people since it is just blips on a screen. There is less remorse in that case since they do not see the person they are killing which poses a problems if the blips on the screen were innocent civilians. Being removed from war also removes American from general human suffering in war. People on the “good” and “bad” sides are impacted by the realities of war. They both have the constant