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Various literary materials focus on war and other political concepts. Books such as Daniel Dewald’s Grey Feathers, one about the 3rd Battalion, 12th Infantry, 4th Division, give light to the sufferings that soldiers experience. Do these materials have the power to change people’s perspectives?
Literature makes possible what otherwise appears impossible. For instance, fiction allows writers to create a physically impossible world. It’s a “this-would-happen” deduction for an “if-this-exists” situation.
On the other hand, political commentaries or essays give writers the freedom to express opinions deemed unsayable. Literature is material that gives these people the liberty to say what they can’t personally tell. While these writers aren’t invincible to consequences that may occur to them, it still makes literature a pretty gutsy means of expression.
With its influence and significance in today’s society, how else does literature influence people in matters concerning politics and war?
War and Politics in Literature
War is a socio-political phenomenon. It goes together and is interrelated with politics. The latter determines the goals and nature of war, likewise determining its intensity and execution. Depending on what the authorities want to achieve, anything can happen during war, and things can change.
Regarding literature, war and politics are some of the concepts that have been fleshed out. They’re a recurring theme in most materials and some well-loved novels. From the period of the Greeks, Romans, and the Hebrew chronicles, materials like epic poetry, historical accounts, or drama have been inspired or are centered around war. Another evidence of its significance is during the ancient Western culture, wherein the Trojan War was one of the most dominant concepts that influenced its literature. In fact, it’s still considered now as an essential body of literature from early Western civilization.
War has been explored and discussed in numerous different modes and materials. Whether it be fiction, non-fiction, or historical accounts, war is a particular concept commonly discussed. Over the years, the usage of war in literature hasn’t waned. Even in modern society, war is a matter that’s heavily scrutinized and examined, and plentiful materials still incorporate this concept.
Literature’s Influence on People’s Perception
A person’s perception is shaped by various factors and one of which is the environment they’re exposed to. Their perception about some issues can be changed and shaped by the people they’re with, the culture they’re accustomed to, and the media they consume. People, regardless of age, are still constantly learning and correcting prejudiced opinions they may have grown with. These new factors give them new knowledge to support or contradict this previous perspective, hence the opportunity to bring about a new outlook on these matters.
Beyond people and culture, in one way or another, literature may have and is continuously changing how people perceive the life they’re living in. And with war and politics commonly explored, it’s unsurprising how much of people’s perceptions may have changed because of what writers have put out in the writing industry.
For instance, in Daniel Dewald’s Grey Feathers, a book about the 3rd Battalion, 12th Infantry, 4th Division serving during the Vietnam War in 1967-1970, he accounts for the actual events that transpired during the war. The book provides readers with narratives of how unselfish these units were throughout the event, highlighting the mental and psychological pressure they’ve been under. This information isn’t novel for Vietnamese, but for foreign readers, this can contribute to a massive shift in how they see these soldiers.
Reliving the war from the army’s perspective means providing a new viewpoint, one from a supposed victim. This offers new reasons why such an event was deemed necessary and beneficial despite its apparent adverse effects on numerous families and countries. Daniel providing a unique angle at such a significant event may encourage empathy and a better understanding of why these occur.
Literature may not hold a significant enough effect to change the course of worldwide events. But presenting new angles to stories people have experienced differently can have the strength to change people’s opinions and beliefs about some issues such as politics and war.
