Emmett’s Experience in Vietnam in the Novel In Country

This is a bit disappointing to me for In Country. My hope is high because I really like Mason's Shiloh and other stories. I like this novel very much, but it is difficult for me to associate with the background of the character and the story, so this might be the purpose of Mason. She seems to suggest that it is impossible to regain historical events through stories. All of her time and geography relating to culture, such as Song Title, K Mart and McDonald's, prohibits Sam and the reader from digging in different experiences.

In the novel "In the Country", Bobbie Ann Mason wrote that a young woman and her uncle are trying to heal the wound caused by the Vietnam War. In the summer of 1984, young woman Sam Hughes and her uncle Emmet Smith visited Washington, DC. Their destination is probably Vietnam War Memorial, or Wall Street, which is one of the most dramatic monuments in the country. Some people devotedly arrive at the walls, others need to find an answer with confidence, others may endanger the latter.

Nationwide Emmett seems not to be a lazy couch potato, life direction. His Vietnamese experience contributed to his behavior. Many times in a book, when people talk about Emmett 's work Emmett always refuses as if he is too long to do the work. When McDonald 's little bald man told Emmett: "I led them to recruit them at the biscuit factory, Emmett' s stubbornness is obvious." Emmett immediately replied: "fucking biscuit factory" (37). This is a signal from the reader, Emmett really does not care. He lives his life every day and hopes to do the same every day. For example, everyday he starts digging at the bottom of the house after playing Atari by watching M * A * S * H. Emmet said that the reason why he found the foundation is due to leaks, but in fact the foundation and his home symbolize the stability of his life. And now he is breaking it. Sam expressed her concern over Emmet 's actions. But that is not the case. (190)

One of the more common effects experienced by post-war veterans is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Emmet is a typical example of how to change the life after the Vietnam War. Emmett leads the reader and wants to know "what is his deal?" We know that he is in the war, but at the same time other veterans continue their lives. They are looking for high quality work and are starting a family. Meanwhile, Emmet has sent the same life as he was in Vietnam. "After leaving Emmett, I stayed with my parents for two weeks, then left, he could not adjust it." (23). He refused to find a job. At first, he lived with his niece Sam and his sister Eileen who was making a baby for him. He tried to part-time by attending college, but neither argued. Even after he dropped out of school he was unemployed despite having borrowed a check of more than $ 500 to the veteran hospital. They have beautiful houses, wives and children "(46).