Select one of the prompts below and follow the directions. Your essay should be three paragraphs and must have a thesis statement in the first paragraph. Be sure to develop your ideas fully and to refer to the passage read in the section.Some of the relatively recent stories and poems in this unit may be ignored by future readers, and others may gain staying power and appear over and over in anthologies like the one you are using. Select the one that you think will last and one that, in your opinion, will be soon forgotten. Explain your choices in a short essay.
War Weary: In the Thick of the Vietnam War with “Charming Billy”
In the short story "Charming Billy" by Alice McDermott, the narrator tells the story of a man named Billy who becomes consumed by the war in Vietnam. While this story may not resonate with future readers on the same scale as some of the other stories and poems in this unit, it still holds a significant place as a representation of the toll that war takes on individuals. On the other hand, "Plane Crash Survivor" by Frederick Busch, while a powerful and gripping story, may be forgotten by future readers due to its limited scope and lack of universal themes.
"Charming Billy" explores the devastating effects of war on an individual's psyche, specifically through the character of Billy. The story delves into Billy's deteriorating mental state as he grapples with the horrors he witnessed during the Vietnam War. McDermott's portrayal of Billy's descent into alcoholism and despair is a poignant depiction of the anguish suffered by soldiers who return from war. This theme of the psychological toll of war is a timeless one, and thus "Charming Billy" may continue to resonate with readers in the future.
On the other hand, "Plane Crash Survivor" by Frederick Busch, while a well-written and gripping story, may not have the same staying power. The story centers around a man who suffers from survivor's guilt after being the sole survivor of a plane crash. While this is certainly an intriguing concept, the story feels somewhat limited in its scope. It focuses primarily on the immediate aftermath of the crash and the protagonist's struggle to come to terms with his survival. While this may be compelling for readers in the present, it may not have the same impact on future generations who may not have the same connection to the specific events of the story.
In conclusion, "Charming Billy" is likely to be the story that will continue to be remembered and appear in anthologies like the one we are using. Its exploration of the psychological toll of war is a universal theme that will resonate with readers regardless of the specific time period. On the other hand, "Plane Crash Survivor" may be soon forgotten due to its limited scope and lack of broader themes. While both stories are powerful in their own right, "Charming Billy" has a timeless quality that will allow it to endure.