Themes and the Concepts of War - Essay Example

?Themes of War The expressions that are d from various plays are able to make a ment about the political and social welfare of countries. Inthe play “Gas” by Jose Rivera, there are statements and expressions about the Iraqi War and what this means. Rivera is able to display the theme of war and how the peace and livelihood of families are compromised for money and oil. The theme displays the current controversies of the time and how these are creating complexities and problems with those that are associated with the war as well as those who are unaware of the individual, family and national problems with fighting in Iraq. The theme of the author is able to display how war affects every level of society while holding the wrong intent that negatively impacts those directly and indirectly involved without good reason. This is displayed through the monologue and the way that the author describes the specific situation. The first way in which the author describes the problem is with the individuals that are fighting in Iraq and what this has caused to their personal lives. This occurs specifically with Cheo’s brother who is fighting in the war. The conditions which are described show how his brother is suffering not from the fighting but, instead, from the lack of care which is received while being in Iraq. “He sat in a tank in the middle of the Saudi Arabian desert. Wrote six, seven, eight hours a day. These brilliant letters of fear” (Rivera, 346). The fear is then described with the brother waiting to die while there is nothing to do but wait. This problem is one which continuously arises in the main theme, specifically in how it has affected his brother by creating fear and causing him to believe only in death. The conditions of the war and the treatment of the soldiers further show that the Iraqi war is one which is not worth fighting and is only leading to misery and loss of life. The individuals that are affected then move into the familial relationships that have connections to those that are in the war. Cheo, as the main character, is first shown with the effects that he has had toward the war because of him missing his brother and of the pain which he knows he is in. This is followed by his confusion over the rights and beliefs which he knows he should have and which cause a division of whether to believe in the war or not. The problem which arises is first seen with Cheo’s observations of his brother and how he changes from saying that he loves others to fighting them and no longer having this characteristic. The reflection continues with Cheo changing his belief in wanting blood and bombs and waiting every day for Iraq to be bombed so his brother can come home (347). The change in the character of Cheo shows how the relationships of the family and those that are waiting for the war to be over affect the situation even more, as well as the attitudes of those that are placed in the war. The problems noted with the family then turn to the dialogue becoming one of a national and societal problem. This creates a connection that moves from the family and into the political and social impact that is created. “And this billboard went up in my town showing Stalin, Hitler, and Hussein, saying we stopped him twice before we have to stop him again! This billboard was put up by a local newspaper!” (348). The attitude created in society is one which shows the same violence that is taking place in the war, despite the lack of knowledge or understanding of what is occurring in the war as well as why it is being fought. The theme of violence and how this takes over at every level is displayed through this dialogue and by showing that there is a sense of the war spreading because of attitudes, changing beliefs and the position of being involved in the war. The war, then, becomes one that is based on growing attitudes of violence over nothing that is occurring within society except for a desire to have money and oil. The theme continues with noting that the war is based not only on problems with the individual and social levels but also on creating divisions within society at home. This is an important part of the theme that the author conveys to each of the readers. Specifically, the author shows that there are social clashes and wars at home in terms of those who are economically in different positions. The rant continues with the monologue of how pointing toward the rich is a form of discrimination and cannot be used with the current situation that is associated with the war, oil or money that is a part of the problem (348). This is important as it identifies a different approach to the war while showing the deeper issues and ways in which the war is beginning to change those within society. The concept of war is one which becomes linked directly to the divisions among many at home in terms of social status, class and economic systems. The war is not one based only on the fighting in Iraq but one which the author notes begins to cause divisions and clashes among those in society. The end point of the author shows how the war that is created is one that becomes affected by everything within the nation, specifically by false beliefs about why it is being fought. This is shown when Cheo states: “I need my car to work so I can pay the rent and not end up homeless person! Don’t I have a right to my car and my gas?....As he pumps the gas, he notices something horrifying. He pulls the nozzle out of the car. Blood comes out of the gas pump” (349). This ending scene of the play shows the overall horrors and problems with the war and how they are more far reaching than anyone recognizes. The divisions in society, protests from politicians and the individual beliefs to end the war but to still have the rights, lead to the loss of understanding the true cruelty of war. By showing how each viewpoint is affected by the war, the author is able to finish by portraying the overall theme about the cruelty of war and how this leads to loss of life, peace and overall understanding from those in society. The concept of war is one which is currently pressing at individual and social levels. The commentary that is around this is one that is based on the political agenda and the economic stimulation that is a part of the outcome. While there is an intellectual understanding of the war, there is often disregard to the true cruelty of the war. In the play “Gas” by Rivera, there is a different commentary about the war. The theme displays the outcomes of war at individual and societal levels. Further, there is a display of how war affects all in society while taking away lives for reasons that cannot be justified. Displaying this through the monologue of the character and the different portraits in society is then able to establish a deeper understanding of the problems with war and how it leads to complexities on every level of society. References Rivera, Jose. (2009). Gas Read More