Note

Sorry for the font. It seems smaller than usual, and I can't seem to fix it.

(Fallen Angels) Roar Post#1 [Pages 1-62]

SUMMARY

It was September 15, 1967. The story starts off with the main character, Richie Perry, a native of New York, talking with a man named Gates and a woman named Judy Duncan. We find out that Richie does not really want to fight in the war in Vietnam. Initially him and his unit were scheduled to go to Vietnam, but a doctor at Fort Devens advised for him to not go because of his injured knee. He was then assigned to a supply company while he waited further orders. However, his old company ended up not going to Vietnam, and Richie ended up going instead. The only hope that he has now is the fact that once the army processes his medical profile, he will be sent back to the states. In addition to that, he heard that war was almost over anyways. As the story progresses, he arrives at Tan Son Nhat airport, gets assigned into the Twenty-second Replacement Company, and becomes more acquainted with Gates, a native of Chicago who wants Richie to call him Peewee.

            As Richie reflects on his life back home, he says that although his counselor said he could attend City College, he felt as though that life would not get him anywhere. His family wasn’t exactly rich and he wasn’t saving any money. In his mind, there was no way he could support his mother and his brother Kenny if he was living the same life. Also, his basketball team, the Monarchs, had lost a tournament a week before, which added to his disappointment. There was a lot of pressure in his life to go to college, but he didn’t want to, and to escape from the questions, he joined the army. A newcomer from Fort Dix named Jenkins soon joined Richie’s circle of friends. Then Peewee, Jenkins, Richie, and another person were assigned to the 196^th and had orders to go to Chu Lai.

            After leaving the main base at Chu Lai, he arrived at Headquarters Company. The three of them were told that they were to be hopping abroad a chopper in Alpha Company, joined by an officer named Johnson. But before that, a lieutenant named Carroll went into Richie’s barracks and declared himself to be the platoon leader. Soon after, they met Sergeant Simpson. Before you knew it, the company was going on patrol.

Everything went well, and they did not encounter any Vietcong. However, on the return trip, when the group was less than 100 yards from the camp, Jenkins was caught in a booby trap that cut open his chest. The Vietcong had planted a mine on their path.

            Later in the story, Richie and his company had to go to a village to do some public relations work. The people in the village can be described as being either very young or very old, since all of the middle aged men have gone off to fight in the war, being on either the ARVN (the south Vietnamese army) or the Vietcong side. The soldier’s goal at the village was to hand out C-rations and malaria pills so that they can befriend the Vietnamese villagers. Although most of the soldiers do not enjoy being in Vietnam, Peewee thinks otherwise. For him, Vietnam is the best place because it is Vietnam that all of the soldiers are equal. He also loves the loyalty of the bugs that inhabit Vietnam.

QUOTE (this is a long quote, but very important!)

“I was fifteen, and painfully aware that I was just an observer in life…Being an observer hadn’t been so bad in Stuyvesant…But sometimes even that didn’t work. Sometimes when I was tired and the competition was really rough, things would change for me…It was then that I would feel a pressure to give in…I had told Mrs.Liebow, my English teacher, and she said that it was what separated heroes from humans, the not giving in”(Myers 35-36).

REACTION

First of all, the reason that I picked this quote to be representative of this section because it gives the reader insight into his motives for joining the army. I know that he mentioned in the story that he didn’t want to go to Vietnam and he only went because he was forced to. However, there is probably more to this than meets the eye because he could probably appeal to some sort of office in the army. If he were really against being drafted, he would have more passionate things to say. But instead, his attitude is sort of like, “ Yea, I don’t want to go…Oh, I’m drafted, oh well, I guess I have to go now.” Therefore, I think that he actually does want to go to Vietnam because it is a way for him to fight and be hero, and not just a passive observer in life.

Now I want to talk about another quote that seemed very important. It was on page 44 and it said, “ Lord, let us feel pity for Private Jenkins, and sorrow for ourselves, and all the angel warriors that fall…My father used to call all soldiers angel warriors, he said, Because usually they get boys to fight wars. Most of you aren’t old enough to vote yet.” As soon as a read this, a light bulb went off in my head and I immediately understood the title of this book. At first I thought that this would make a good quote for the section, but I thought otherwise, since it probably would suit the entire book even better.

On page 24, there was a scene that showed Peewee and Richie doing a spit shake with each other, symbolizing their friendship and brotherhood. I thought that this was important because before, they didn’t allow another soldier to be blood brothers with them. In doing this, I think it means that they are willing to be brothers, but they haven’t known each other well enough to be blood brothers. Also on page 31 it said, “ Johnson slept naked on one side, snoring Peewee lay on his back, arms and legs spread, eyes not completely closed. Jenkins had his head under the blanket.” What I thought of this was that the book is trying to say that Johnson and Peewee is not afraid of the enemy at all while Jenkins is absolutely terrified.”

After reading 62 pages of the book, I would have to confirm that Walter Dean Myers still writes very honestly and explicitly. I say confirmed because I finished reading The Young Landlords with the very same impression (it was a book also written by Walter Dean Myers). He writes about people pulling out knives on each other and people taking bathroom breaks as though it were things that you say in a normal conversation. For me, that makes the book more interesting and fun to read.

In addition to the honesty of the book, it is also very funny as well. For example, there was a part in the book where Richie was attending the orientation lecture in order to learn about the geography of Vietnam. Then the lieutenant said, “ You are not in Disneyland”.

I also was able to make a few connections in this book. The earliest one I made was when Richie said that Jenkins looked like an Archie Comics character (and I really like Archie Comics). Also on page 35, I found out that Richie attended Stuyvesant high school, which was the high school that was featured in the film Frontrunners.

Roar Post#5 [Pages 272-340] The final section

SUMMARY

This final section in the story consisted of Anne doing a lot of reflection and thorough analysis into her personality, character, and her life in general. Although she notices that she’s often been depressed with living life confined in the Annex, she says that she has never been so depressed as to the point of desperation. On the contrary, she views it more as an interesting adventure, “ full of danger and romance” as Anne puts it. Once again, she notes that she does not want to live an ordinary life after war and just be an ordinary housewife.

            On another note, Anne’s father has been unhappy lately with the way that Anne has been disobeying him and always going on to Peter’s room every evening. In response to this, an angry Anne wrote an extremely disrespectful letter to her father about her feelings toward him. Later on, when her father told her that this was the most hurtful letter that he had ever received, Anne felt absolutely terrible and totally regretted ever writing that letter. Once again, she wrote that she vowed to try and improve herself.

Later on, she writes more about her relationship with Peter, and she says that although Peter loves her, it is not as a girlfriend, but actually as a friend. The reason why she says this is because she feels that he is still hiding his innermost self from her (from pg.316-317).

            In other news, Anne has been studying her head off. She says at one point, “ I’m full to bursting”.

            In terms of politics, everyone in the Annex is extremely apprehensive as to the events of the war. The suspense is rising everyday as to when England will invade the German front. In addition, Anne also talks about the Jewish people, and about how anti-Semitism (the prejudice/hostility against Jews) is increasing. People are accusing the Jews of telling secrets to the Germans about helpers so that they could receive punishment as well. But Anne says that if Christians were in the Jew’s shoes, it would be impossible to remain totally silent in the face of German pressure. On Tuesday, June 6, 1944 Anne wrote that this is D Day and that the invasion has begun. It renewed a sense of hope in the Annex members. Maybe this was the beginning of the long-waited liberation for them.

            After talking about politics and whatnot, begins Anne’s long period of reflection in the diary. She talks about why women are always seen as inferior to men (even though they are just as strong and have to endure much pain and suffering as well (like childbirth)). Then she goes on to talk about the necessity of hard work as opposed to taking the easy path in life. She says being lazy is tempting, but true hard work will give you the true feeling of satisfaction. Then she talks about how young people have to suffer in a way far worse than what adults have to go through. A good quote to wrap it all up is

“ Deep down, the young are lonelier than the old”, which Anne herself read in a book somewhere.

            Finally, Anne ends her diary with talking about herself having two sides. One part

Is always cheerful and happy. It includes being flirty and very comical, the traits that made her popular a few years back. The other side of her, she mentions that it is more pure, deeper, and overall better (the one that is more nice, contemplative, and reflective). The difference between these two sides of her is that the first one is more of an act. At the end of the day, she will want to be her second side, the more honest Anne.

           

QUOTE

“ So if you’re wondering whether it’s harder for the adults here than for the children, the answer is no, it’s certainly not. Older people have an opinion about everything and are sure of themselves and their actions. It’s twice as hard for us young people to hold on to our opinions at a time when ideals are being shattered and destroyed”(Frank 332).

REACTION

            Anne has got to be one of the wisest 15 year olds in the world, and I thought that I was very analytical at that age. I guess that I was proved wrong, because Anne definitely beat me to it. Remember how I mentioned that I was shocked at the amount of reading she had to do. At first it seemed as if she had very strict parents who forced her to study consistently, but most times, she really enjoyed learning. Sometimes I wonder if she and Margot would still be as studious as if they had cell phones and unlimited texting. Nevertheless, that was the 40’s, and I can’t really compare that time period with our time period. You can quickly reach the conclusion that she gained much of her wisdom through reading books on a daily basis, and her mind must have been extremely well developed and stimulated.

            Now I want to talk about Anne’s honesty. Perhaps it is because she is writing in a diary that allows her to be so explicit and honest in what she is talking about. However, in 1944, a member of the Dutch government in exile announced in a radio broadcast that he wanted to collect eyewitness accounts of the suffering of Dutch people under German occupation during the war (in the form of diaries and letters). Anne said that she was particularly interested in this, and yet her style of writing remained the same. It had the same level of honesty and originality, and that’s what I admire about her. She has the honesty and courage to admit her faults and “shortcomings”(as Anne calls it) and talk about ways that she can improve herself.

            Finally, I want to touch upon the quote that I think was most representative of this section. It really gives the reader insight as to the life of a teenager that is coming of age. Although adults to experience a lot of problems and hard work in life, making the transition from child to adult is extremely difficult as well, and maybe sometimes not enough attention is paid to this stage in life. Although this story is about Anne Frank’s life in hiding, throughout the story, a majority of the material is spent talking about the problems of the family. She talks a lot about her growth and about her observations of the Annex members as well as her interactions with them. Her experiences, good or bad, teach her a lot of people as a whole and help her to mature into independent women. Overall, it may be about World War 2 in some respects, but on a deeper level, it is no different than a story about a teenager finding her place in the world.

Roar Post#4 [Pages 204-272]

SUMMARY

            In this section of the story, you can see that Anne talks a lot about her time spent with Peter van Daan. She is absolutely crazy over him, and she just wants to shout it out to him. However, she must restrain herself, because it is far too early to express feelings like this to him. In addition, Peter himself has not openly expressed any feelings of love towards her.

On another note, she reflects on her life in the Annex. In doing so, Anne has come to the realization that before she had to live in the Annex, she had lived an almost perfect life. She had numerous admirers, she was the favorite of many teachers, and was spoiled by her parents. But now as she entered the Annex in 1942, life is totally different. She was being attacked on all sides by the adults instead of being adored, as they were always saying something that irritated her to such an extent that she had to talk back. In the first half of 1943, she always felt lonely and found herself sobbing immensely at night. At this point she decided to change herself a bit so that she wouldn’t seem as disrespectful to the adults.

In the second half of 1943 she was saddened greatly because she believed that she could manage in life without her mother’s guidance (Anne is becoming very distant from her mother) and because she realized she will never be able to confide in her father, because even he is becoming colder. After New Years, when she began having those dreams, she discovered that she really desired a boyfriend, which is where Peter van Daan comes into the mix.

            She loves going up into Peter’s room (the attic), mostly because she could be with him and talk to him in private. The privacy is something that she treasures greatly. She mentions on page 219 that the adults are constantly chasing her from one corner to another. Also, she couldn’t even be alone in her own room because Alfred Dussel’s always in it. Because of that, Peter’s room acts as sanctuary for her, and she enjoys every second spent inside it. When they are together, they can talk about the most intimate things, even topics pertaining to sex. She admits that she may not even be as confident to talk about these things to another girl. But with Peter, there is much maturity and a desire to learn (because Anne is still learning about sex). While the two are having fun and enjoying each other’s company, Margot is always by herself downstairs, and Anne writes in the diary that she feels very bad for her sister. Margot is happy that Anne has found a companion, but the other adults, as Anne notices seem to be jealous of her relationship with Peter, and they always question what the two are doing upstairs (really, what they are doing is just talking). However, they did share a kiss once, and Anne just found it magical.

            Moving onto more gloomy terms, there has been another break in, but luckily the thieves departed the scene quickly upon hearing Mr. van Daan scream police. Unfortunately, someone did alert the police, and the scariest event happened in the Annex that night. The police had shined a light right in front of the bookcase. Of the Annex members had made one false move during that moment, they probably would’ve gotten caught (the bookcase was the only thing separating the Annex members from the police).

They have been saved once again, and Anne was so grateful to God and the good and innocent Christians that are helping them.

           

QUOTE

“ I don’t want to have lived in vain like most people. I want to be useful or bring enjoyment to all people, even those I’ve never met. I want to go on living even after my death! And that’s why I’m so grateful to God for having given me this gift, which I can use to develop myself and to express all that’s inside me!”(Frank 249-250).

 REACTION

If only Anne were still alive today, she would see how many people have read her diary. She could either be really happy or really shocked that people are reading her innermost feelings, but I do know that she would be speechless. She always doubted herself in this diary, questioning her qualifications. However, at this age, her writing skills are just incredibly good. Her goal about living on after her death has definitely come true. I know I’ve said it before but I just have to say it again. She writes extremely well, and if I were reading this book out of blue without any indication of the author, I would mistake her for an adult.

The reason why I think this quote is representative of this certain section is because in this quote, you can begin to get to know Anne more as a person and more about her motives in writing her diary. She has mentioned before that she enjoys writing in this diary because she has no one to confide to. However, we do see that later on in her life in the Annex, she becomes very close to Peter. So that must mean that there are other reasons for writing this journal, and this quote really tells it all. There is an incomparable joy that comes in writing for Anne, and when she writes, she can just say everything that comes into her mind, without any hesitation. Well maybe some hesitation would exist if she were scared of someone reading it, but nevertheless, no hesitation up to a great extent.

As she states in page 250, “ When I write I can shake off all of my cares. My sorrow disappears, my spirits are revived!” It is just one of those things a person can fall back to when all else in the world goes wrong. Sometimes I feel the same type of joy when writing.

            Also on page 250 she contemplates, “ But, and that’s a big question, will I ever be able to write something great, will I ever become a journalist or a writer?” Upon reflecting on what she said here, I would have to say that yes, without a doubt, she would have became a writer or journalist. If only she had survived the war, and Anne continued study hard and writing passionately, she would definitely go places, big places. She has a unique story to tell.