My People; The Things They Carried; The Unknown Citizen and the Refugee Ship - Essay Example

 The Chief Seattle in My People discusses the essence of taking care of the environment and having the respect of land rights to his people. It is apparent that this was when the president in Washington said that he would buy the Duwamish land where Seattle was a chief. Seattle said that every part of the land was sacred to his people by this he meant the dark woods, meadow, humming insects or even the sandy shores. He argued that they were all holy in the memory and experience of his people.

About taking care of the environment, Seattle said that if they would sell the land it was to be kept apart and sacred in such away one could go and taste the wind that is sweetened by the meadow flower. Seattle was of the view that the earth does not belong to the man but the earth is our mother. He also argued that to harm the earth was to heap contempt on its creator. It is evident that the text discusses physical and emotional burdens in war. In The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien there are a variety of things that soldiers of the Alpha Company brought on their missions.

Some of what they carried was intangible such as fear and guilt, while others are specific physical objects that include morphine, matches and M-16 rifles. Dobbins a soldier in the army carried his girlfriend’s pantyhose for his longing love to her. The Battle loyal by Ellison there is racism among the people as the black community refuses to cooperate with their white enemy. After reading “The Unknown Citizen” and the “Refugee Ship” it is evident that refugees have an identity crisis.

Dee portrays how a girl is raised in a different language and is given a foreign name. She is made also to speak a language that is difficult to communicate with and this makes her to feel like a captive. Also, it is apparent that her physical looks are different to the local people in the country. Auden in his poem shows that the unknown citizen was still fighting for his identity till the day he retired even though he was at the service of the greater community.