Vietnam – Full Metal Jacket Essay Example
Vietnam – Full Metal Jacket Essay Example

Vietnam – Full Metal Jacket Essay Example

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  • Pages: 4 (969 words)
  • Published: November 5, 2017
  • Type: Essay
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The analysis of men's actions during wartime is explored by Stanley Kubrick.

The movie showcases the training of a group of United States Marine Corps personnel at Parris Island, their dehumanizing training program, and their experiences leading up to the climax of the TET Offensive in Vietnam. The director's approach towards depicting the war is one of ridicule, displaying an arrogant and trigger-happy demeanor reminiscent of World War II.

Stanley Kubrick's portrayal of the Vietnam War in his film may be seen as a form of ridicule. One example is the use of the name Private Joker for the main character, which is itself a mockery. In addition, Private Joker wears a badge with a peace symbol and a helmet with "born to kill" written on it throughout the movie. While some may argue that this express

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es the diversity of man, many interpret it as a mockery of the war in Vietnam.

Private Joker's role in the film is that of a military journalist and not a part of a combat squad. Therefore, his wearing of both a peace symbol and a helmet with the slogan "born to kill" is perhaps irrelevant, showcasing Kubrick's stance on the War - that no one was in control and that troops were unsure about whether it was right to kill or not.

The political situation in America is briefly referred to in the film, with Stanley Kubrick possibly mocking the Vietnam War through Private Joker's fake body count article in "Stars and Stripes" military newspaper. This could be seen as a criticism of the heavy military ad-campaign during the TET Offensive. Kubrick believed that young and mentally unfit troops were being

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used and wanted to showcase their dehumanizing training process to the audience through Sgt. Hartman's demoralization of new recruits.

By tearing down defences and relationships, realigning sex drives, and marrying love with violence, the speaker in this text demonstrates the intensity of military training and its toll on soldiers. Private Pyle, a slow-witted man, is pushed over the edge during his training. He reaches his absolute limit, showing clear signs of emotional instability that lead to a psycho's sadistic smile.

In the article, Hartman discusses how Private Pyle's mistakes caused his fellow soldiers to violently retaliate against him, ultimately leading to his mental breakdown. The aftermath of this incident causes Private Pyle to become distant and unresponsive until he suddenly exhibits violent behavior. Kubrick divides the movie into two distinct parts - one focused on training camp and the other on the TET Offensive in Vietnam - potentially drawing a comparison between them. He challenges viewers to analyze each part of the film like an unsolved jigsaw puzzle and determine whether "training and fighting for your country" is a positive or negative concept.

Stanley Kubrick's film about the Vietnam War heavily emphasizes the brainwashing of American soldiers during their training, which takes up almost half of the movie. The purpose is to make viewers think about how important it is for soldiers to be extensively trained in violence before going to war and how this conditioning process may affect them. Kubrick suggests that soldiers may not have enough strength or willpower to comprehend the atrocities of war and that dehumanizing them can turn them into brutal beings who value killing over thinking.

Kubrick's movie illustrates how a person's

moral values can be reversed to create the perfect weapon, but this may lead to an overly flawless outcome. Crossing certain boundaries during training means there is no return. The brutal dehumanization undergone by soldiers at Parris Island can have life-altering effects and impede war efforts. Instead of stripping soldiers of their morals, they should be trained within reasonable limits and given the choice to kill or disarm in battle. It is crucial to recognize and protect our distinct humanity - something that even God cannot take away.

My previous research leads me to fully support Stanley Kubrick's portrayal and attitude towards the Vietnam War in his film. He accurately depicted America's misguided approach during the war as a joke. Kubrick effectively showcased how American youth were overtrained, losing their sense of identity as human beings. This was brilliantly executed in the first half of the movie where he exposed the dehumanizing training process of the American Marine Corps. Therefore, I praise this film for accurately representing my opinion on the Vietnam War.

The movie depicts the enemies as heartless, attacking Americans during the TET ceasefire, which justifies the American's self-defense. Both Americans and Vietnamese are portrayed as hostile and merciless towards each other. The character Private Joker claims that the war is tedious without bloodshed and expresses eagerness to cause it himself by killing people. Despite being the only one to emerge from training unscathed, Joker's willpower deteriorates over time in his role as a military journalist until he eventually kills for the first time and reflects that being alive is better than being dead, highlighting the psychological toll of war.

The author's tone is cynical as

they describe an arrogant person who makes light of a situation resulting in the loss of a human life. The individual may have been demoralized during their training with other soldiers on Parris Island, causing them to struggle with the effects of their experiences as a military journalist and a desire to avoid killing others. However, their words reveal a disturbing desire to encounter fascinating individuals from an ancient culture and take their lives for recognition.

The film portrays a character who takes pride in killing, highlighting how the Marine Corps' training methods are flawed. Kubrick effectively conveys this message by emphasizing the intensity of the training. I share this perspective and believe that Kubrick's interpretation of the film is accurate.

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