ATAR Notes: Forum
VCE Stuff => VCE English Studies => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE English & EAL => Topic started by: shademaker on October 29, 2008, 08:57:49 am
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Hi I would love some feedback about this essay as the exam is incredibly soon. thanks
“John Wade can be viewed as many things, but he should primarily be seen as a victim”
Tim O’Brien’s In the Lake of the Woods is a novel which revolves around the themes or morality and responsibility and the way in which these influence our lives. This is mainly seen in the character of John Wade and from his actions taken and the consequences of those actions it is clear that he should not be seen as a victim.
Any event which contributed to John’s downfall was in some way his fault. The most traumatic event that occurred would be his witnessing and participation in the Thuan Yen massacre. Although he was not responsible for the massacre himself, the way in which he attempted to deal with the trauma is what contributed to his breakdown seen after his loss in the primaries. Instead of accepting the responsibility of the truth John delved into his “head full of mirrors” and began creating the illusion which protected him for so many years. Despite erasing these memories from his mind he knew that “the weight of this day would ultimately prove too much” and that “sooner or later he would have to lighten the load”. The way in which he deals with this trauma leaves him very mentally unstable and is partly responsible for the distancing between himself and Kathy. His inability to accept the responsibility begins to blur the line of reality and illusion until the weight of the truth eventually crushes him and leads to his psychotic rage seen on the night of Kathy’s disappearance. It can be viewed that his downfall and the falling out between himself and Kathy is the product of his own deception and is, therefore, not the victim but the perpetrator.
In addition to the psychological damage his stay in Vietnam caused him, John’s political career is also destroyed. Despite going to Vietnam in the name of love and hoping to strengthen a future in politics, the events which take place do the complete opposite. In the final months of his time in Vietnam John builds further on the illusion that he was not responsible by erasing his name from the Charlie company records. This demanded a much more physical type of forgery and he could be held much more accountable if caught. During the primaries his illusion was shattered and the truth was revealed to the public. Though he was a clear winner before the light of this evidence came forth, he was defeated in a landslide which lead to him feeling rejected and only further damaged his mental stability, which in turn also contributed to his breakdown at the cottage. The decision to go to Vietnam was his alone and the decision to cover his tracks was his alone and the result of such events lead to the downfall of his political career and contributed to his ultimate downfall, thus he cannot be viewed as the victim.
The entire reason John went to Vietnam and became a politician was because of his need to feel accepted and loved. This desire for love stemmed from his childhood and his unfulfilling relationship with his father, whom he never received any positive attention from. However, his childhood and relationship with his father also prompted his need to hide through illusion and magic. He was unable to face the truth of his reality and began creating the perfect father in “the mirrors in his head”. His father’s suicide only further ingrained this dependency on illusion into his lifestyle and lead him to carry it with him through out his life as a means of protecting himself from the truth. Across his life he has hidden secrets from himself which can seen clearly during his time in Vietnam. John is unable to accept the reality of his unhappy childhood and due to his dependence on illusion he has been able to keep all his negative memories at bay until his crushing political defeat shatters his world. This dependence has lead to his downfall in many ways and shows the reader that he is wholly responsible for his own actions and not the victim.
Throughout his life John has repressed any negative memories in the hope of protecting himself. This mainly occurred during his childhood and time in Vietnam but also extends to other areas of his life. The accumulation of these untold truths and hidden secrets place a pressure on his psyche, which ultimately sends his entire illusion to come crashing down around him showing that his downfall is a result of his own actions and deception. But even in the face of all his demons he is unable to cope and pulls the “ultimate vanishing act” and disappears.
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Not to bad.. Probably need to incorporate a few more quotes.
Aim for 12-15 per essay.
Around 12-15/20 is what you may get on the exam.