World War II - Effects

Regeneration

World War I was fought on the battlegrounds of Europe. Death and dismay was strewn throughout the landscape. The major players included, but were not limited to, The United States, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, and France. Much like the Vietnam War, that would occur later on in the century, this war was one of bewilderment for most of the people involved, and not involved, for that matter. The soldiers and civilians alike were uncertain about the events leading up to this escalation of mass bloodshed. This uncertainty through Europe and the US, led to a myriad of recurring themes on and off the battlefields. The novel Regeneration, written by Pat Barker, discusses these experiences, and consequential themes in depth. In particular, one of these recurring motifs found in the novel that is incredibly interesting is that of Emasculation. It can be found throughout the novel through a variety of medium, including experiences and even clinical healing methods used by a doctor. Emasculation was expressed as a major theme throughout the World War I era and should be addressed properly.

The primary character, Siegfried Sassoon, based on a real life person, was a poet as well as an extremely recognized war hero in WWI. Through his trials and tribulations he was transformed from an expert bombing technician, to an anti-war advocate. His writing of the "Declaration," which was his most widely controversial writing, got him sent to Craiglockhart Hospital, as a mental patient and he was labeled "mentally unsound." It was during his time at the hospital that we see the variety of emasculation that he encountered through the war.

At the turn of the century it was a time of strong patriotism. Men foolishly felt that it was their solemn duty to enlist in the war and fight gallantly for their country. There was no greater "manly" honor than to die in battle fighting for the country that you loved so much. It would have been completely "unmanly", or emasculating to shy away from this God given duty to fight. The same judgement was cast upon people who suffered mental anguish and were not able to fight. The general public and other officers saw it as unmanly and even cowardice. Sassoon was faced with this very situation at the commencement of the novel. We lay privy to encountering an argument that Sassoon is having with one of his comrades, Robert Graves. Sassoon said, "Give it up? You don't think I've come this far, do you, just to give in nowÐ'...The only way to get publicity is to make them court marshal me." (Barker, 6) Sassoon saw going to the mental hospital, and conceding his argument that he posed in his Declaration, as completely emasculating. To get court marshaled would have been the only manly option in Sassoon's mind. That would mean that he preached what he believed in, stood up for it, and took his punishment like a man. But instead, he is sent to the mental hospital, away from the war, and locked up like a crazy nut. This would prove to be only the beginning of many emasculating experiences for Sassoon.

Before beginning a swim at the hospital with Graves, each man noticed scars on the other. "Sassoon glanced at the shrapnel wound on Graves's thigh. Ð''An inch further up'Ð'..." (Barker, 32) This was a common joke encountered by Robert Graves, but in reality it was the worst kind of emasculation possible. This is only reinforced through Sassoon's experience with the young boy in the bed next to him who had been castrated during the fighting. These wounds, and actual removal of genitals, is a strong argument about the emasculation of war. . They are constant reminders that would last with the person the remainder of their life. The fact that a man's most "manly" area of his body was removed in battle, just presents the emasculating effects that war had on people, and the after effect it will carry

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