Kamryn Barnes
Mr. Rease
AP Eng 11
19 November 2016
The novel, The Sorrow of War, was a novel about the struggles of a Vietnamese soldier named Kien. The novel told stories of love and loss and how different people cope with the aftermath. The point of view constantly shifts and is sometimes incoherent. The novel is even so witty as to have been out of order just as Kien's attempt at a novel had been. This book was a controversial, however effective portrayal of the Vietnam War. It had exceeded beyond my initial expectations as a historical novel and as a work of fiction entirely.
My initial reaction to such a grim book was pure horror. There were many unpleasant scenes within the book that had been hard to read. However, although these events were indeed horrific and graphic, they were realistic and add substance to the book. These are hard truths about the war that are taken into account in the book and not censored in any way and had to be applauded. The book also had many themes of romance and relationships. The book did not portray Kien's relationship with Phuong as soemthing unrealistically perfect, but something real. I saw it as refreshing to see a romantic subplot that was not picture perfect. Instead, it showed raw emotion including pain as a progression for the main plot at hand. The novel, The Sorrow of War, was a groundbreaking display of writing talent that transcends beyond the barriers of language.
Mr. Rease
AP Eng 11
19 November 2016
The novel, The Sorrow of War, was a novel about the struggles of a Vietnamese soldier named Kien. The novel told stories of love and loss and how different people cope with the aftermath. The point of view constantly shifts and is sometimes incoherent. The novel is even so witty as to have been out of order just as Kien's attempt at a novel had been. This book was a controversial, however effective portrayal of the Vietnam War. It had exceeded beyond my initial expectations as a historical novel and as a work of fiction entirely.
My initial reaction to such a grim book was pure horror. There were many unpleasant scenes within the book that had been hard to read. However, although these events were indeed horrific and graphic, they were realistic and add substance to the book. These are hard truths about the war that are taken into account in the book and not censored in any way and had to be applauded. The book also had many themes of romance and relationships. The book did not portray Kien's relationship with Phuong as soemthing unrealistically perfect, but something real. I saw it as refreshing to see a romantic subplot that was not picture perfect. Instead, it showed raw emotion including pain as a progression for the main plot at hand. The novel, The Sorrow of War, was a groundbreaking display of writing talent that transcends beyond the barriers of language.
Excellent job!
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