"The Man I Killed"
Hey E319 Students,
Do you believe that O'Brien carries a burden throughout the vignettes, due to the man he killed?
Is the loss of life ever acceptable? Explain
(Jay Mehta Approved)
posted by Jay Mehta @ 11/14/2011
4 comments
4 Comments:
No the loss of life is never acceptable. A life is a priceless entity and once gone, can no longer be replaced. Furthermore O'Brien's burden is the fact that he killed himself by entering the war. This whole vignette is about him regretting making that decision on the "rainy river".
...... ... Sal Period 3
Tim O'Brien carries a burden through the vignettes because of the man he killed. Whether he thinks he did it on purpose or not, O'Brien cannot escape the fact that a life was lost because of his doing and this is something he will have to live with for the rest of his life. Living with this gnawing guilt will influence any future thoughts or actions he might have, so he must carry the burden of killing forever. As to whether the loss of life is ever acceptable, it depends. My natural reaction upon first reading the question was an absolute no, but then I started thinking about different situations. Of course the accidental death of an innocent person is not acceptable, but what about the death of a criminal who seems to have completely lost his humanity and relentlessly kills anyone that happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time? In my opinion, such a person deserves death. Why should they get to decide whether another living being lives or dies?
- Marzena Socha, period 3
In response to Sal: you said “No the loss of life is never acceptable. A life is a priceless entity and once gone, can no longer be replaced.” Does this mean that you believe someone like Hitler or Osama did not deserve to be killed or plotted against simply because it is “not acceptable” to kill? Shouldn’t people’s previous actions affect their “right” to live? You also mentioned that that a life cannot “be replaced”, does this suggest that people who murder others deserve to be replaced back in society?
People are responsible for the actions they take part in. This does not matter if after you complete the action, you feel bad you did it…! You may have ended someone else’s life, why do you deserve a second chance at a free and happy life if that person did not get one?
-Jori Nelson Period 3
In response to Jori: First of all, I dont believe man has the powet to justify if anyone should die at all. What if you were convicted for a crime you nevet committed and is punishable by death. Do you feel the "legal system" should be responsible for deciding if your "worthy enough to live"? Because there a many people that get excuted on wrongful convitions because certain "men" thought they should die.
Sal Period 3
Post a Comment
<< Home