Generals Die in Bed Essay Example

food while pillaging,’ stealing and destroying people’s possessions, self satisfaction is their only concern. The soldiers become feral and even rebel against and shoot at their own Military Police who are trying to restore order.

By these merciless and selfish acts the dark side of the soldiers’ nature is revealed. Through the experiences of the combatants the reader is shown compassion and remorse. The Narrator kills Karl (a German soldier) in self defence and then takes his brother and another soldier prisoner. The Narrator allows the German soldier to grieve for his dead brother letting him take ‘a few letters and papers from his brother’s pockets’ and the Narrator imagines how their mother would feel. He then helps the Germans to safety behind the lines ; asks that ‘the prisoners be treated nicely. ’ These examples show s compassion and caring to the German soldiers even though they are his enemies. He illustrates remorse when he’s trying to explain why he killed the German’s brother, “How can I say to this boy that something took us both, his brother and me, and dumped us into a lonely shrieking hole at night. ” The Narrator is demonstrating forgiveness, caring, sorrow and compassion, striving to stay humane in an inhumane environment. It is the nature of war and the plans of the military leaders that bring out savagery and emotionless acts in soldiers which is necessary for fighting and self preservation.

The good side of human nature is revealed in moments of grief, compassion, mateship and bravery in spite of the horrors of trench warfare. The military leaders manipulate and lie to the soldiers to

ensure that they have men ready to fight and kill. They lie to the soldiers by telling a false story of the Germans sinking a Canadian hospital ship with the Brigadier-General inciting them to fight without mercy saying ‘an enemy like the Hun does not merit humane treatment in war’. The men are to take no prisoners and the soldiers discuss the best ways to kill prisoners.

The men are conditioned to fight in an inhumane way, brutally killing unarmed German youths. The war ends for the Narrator with one more bloody battle, fear and a strong will to survive. Through the soldiers’ experiences, the Narrator not only shows the dark side of human nature but also tells of the compassionate and caring side. Throughout the novel we are shown that in the harsh circumstances of war human decency and morals can totally evaporate with ordinary men becoming savage, only interested in their own self preservation.

However we also are shown bravery, companionship and acts of kindness as the soldiers struggle to stay humane and sane in a hellish environment. Throughout the novel they are compassionate and caring to even their enemies in their darkest moments. They also illustrate the dark and unforgiving side of human nature. They show no pity or mercy even while being pleaded too. Throughout the novel the Narrator often shows compassion towards others – in his actions – eg. etting the German soldier grieve for his dead brother letting him take ‘a few letters and papers from his brother’s pockets’ and imagines how their mother would feel. He then helps the Germans to safety behind the lines ;

asks that ‘the prisoners be treated nicely. ’ Just like their constant companions the lice and the rats, the soldiers in the trench adapt to the hell that they find themselves trapped in – doing whatever it takes to survive. They even fight each other over food ‘at each others throats like hungry, snarling animals’.

As the novel ; the war progresses so does the inhumane side of the soldiers who become increasing more detached from killing, unconcerned with the death of friends. The soldiers are conditioned, hardened up and desensitised with self preservation becoming a key motivator. This is shown as the soldiers plunder the city of Arras allies' town and vandalize houses with no consideration of the local people who will come back to a raided and shelled town. As they ransack the town ‘chewing food while pillaging,’ stealing and destroying people’s possessions, self satisfaction is their only concern.

The soldiers become feral and even rebel against and shoot at their own Military Police who are trying to restore order. is the anarchy that occurs as the soldiers even rebel against their own army to The novel depicts how the war brings out disrespect and selfishness in the soldiers and officers. When they are on the offensive and passing through woods, Broadbent sees movement in one of the trees and shoots a German sniper. The German sniper is dying and pleads to the group ‘Drei Kinder – three children’, a cry for mercy.

Instead of pity and compassion he receives a bayonet through the neck. This merciless act expresses the unforgiving and brutal side of human nature. As the soldiers

pass the body they kick it, ‘it quivers a little with each kick. ’ This shows aggression and disrespect to the dead soldier. The soldiers also plunder the allies' town and vandalize houses with no consideration of the previous owners who will come back to a raided home. As they ransack the town they ‘are chewing food while pillaging,’ stealing and destroying people’s possessions, self interest their only concern.

By these merciless and selfish acts the dark side of the soldiers’ nat The Narrator tells of his war experiences as it happens In the harsh conditions of the soldiers’ experiences they demonstrate that they can express both the compassionate side and the merciless side of human nature. Renaud is on fire and the flames “sputter on his clothing,” and is coming out of “one of his eyes” so Broadbent shoots him in the head. This act shows us that he was being compassionate and having mercy on Renaud. This shows that humans can be compassionate and have mercy.

Renaud “rolls around trying to extinguish the fire. ” Broadbent didn’t try too save Renaud and didn’t give him a chance. Broadbent was merciless and didn’t show compassion. At first glance Broadbent “fired three shots into the recruits head. ” This act shows us that he had no struggle killing Renaud. Whilst being merciless about killing him he didn’t even express sadness or discomfort at him dying. Through the novel we are shown both the compassionate and merciful side, although we are also shown the merciless and emotionless side of humans. ure is revealed.