The Soldier : The Civilian

With the draft in effect during the Vietnam War, civilians were uprooted from society and required to become soldiers. This forced  mentally and physically unprepared civilians to take the roll of a soldier. In effect, the divide between civilians and soldiers was dramatically different from previous wars because those who became soldiers were completely unprepared. Additionally after the Vietnam War, soldiers were not held on the pedestal that they were in previous wars such as World War I & II.

In Tim O'Brien's, The Things They Carried, the theme of  the soldier/civilian divide can be noted throughout the book. Primarily, the gruesome, moralless nature of his war stories are commonly found distasteful among everyday civilians. Furthermore, the general nature and tone of the O'Brien's style can be cited in support of a divide between the civilian and the soldier. The Things They Carried has elements of PTSD, and his stream of conscious style of writing reads like you're sitting in a foxhole with O'Brien while you both pass time telling war stories. Additionally, The Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong story shows a clear evolution from civilian to soldier. Mary Anne's story supports the idea of how the sudden shift from civilian to soldier can have long term effects on the human psyche.


Also included in this theme would be post war struggles for Vietnam Veterans. As noted above, soldiers' assimilation back into society was not as welcoming as in previous wars. This further increased the divide between soldier and civilian. Outside research would be needed to delve into this part of the soldier/civilian divide theme.