-
Essay / Impact of war on an individual in Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden
In the novel “Three Day Road”, he defines how the indigenous way of life, identities and behaviors were influenced by the colonialism of the Europeans as well as by their own cultural traditions. . Setting is a factor in the characters' actions and can change their cultural moral values. Joseph Boyden demonstrates that when an individual is placed in an environment that deviates from his origin, he must adapt, which would lead him to deviate from his own value while putting him in danger. This is particularly seen through Elijah and Xavier's adaptability in the face of the hardships of the war, as their emotions and thoughts were affected by the actions of the other characters who fought alongside them during the war. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Xavier and Elijah's experience of war can distort the circumstances between what is morally right and what is not. Although indigenous people are taught to respect the lives of others, soldiers are people capable of stepping outside this boundary because killing on the battlefield is a necessity, but it is possible to get carried away with the glory of these accomplishments. Elijah becomes a well-known sniper with many kills and begins to enjoy the recognition that comes with his accomplishments by killing so much that he is desensitized to killing. This is partly because Elie deals with his identity by assimilating into Western culture, as his identity is lost due to their influence. When Xavier bitterly questions Elijah's actions of killing an innocent woman he mistook for an enemy, he defended himself by saying, "I am trained not to hesitate in dangerous situations." » This made Xavier realize that Elijah had been corrupted by war since he abandoned his cultural lifestyle and abandoned his identity to seek importance through the fame that comes with war. A war always has a negative impact on an individual. When a person goes to war, they do not come back the same way, as these people explored and faced the idea of death that comes with engaging in war and fighting for survival . No matter how much they value life, they are forced to be given a weapon and killed if they want to live. Unlike Elijah who goes against his culture, Xavier valued his traditions as a hunter and honoring life despite killing others as a means of survival. According to Xavier, for “those that are not recovered, we bury them as best we can in the walls of the trenches when they start to swell and stink. I make sure to thank them because even in death, they continue to help. Xavier preserves his culture by thanking the dead for their support, he does this because Niska told him to pray as much as he can and he does so by praying to the dead soldiers. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a custom paper now from our expert writers.Get a Custom EssayThe main differences between these two characters lie in the way they cope and internalize what they witness and experience during the war. Xavier praying to the dead keeps him in touch with his Native culture and he does not follow Elijah who becomes more immersed in Western culture as he struggles to identify as Native due to Western influence..