By Sarahhhhhhhhh

Rating: 8/10 (10 December 2012)

#1. The symbolism for the Russian Roulette sequences. What was the director trying to get at? Do you agree or disagree with his concept? Include with this our discussion as related to patriotism.
There is no evidence that Russian Roulette was used to torture prisoners of war in Vietnam, and yet this concept is essential to the film. The director used Russian Roulette to symbolize the uncertainty of the war. The characters' chances of getting the bullet were the same as their chances of returning to America unscathed (both physically and mentally). This game was also symbolic of their enlisting options prior to entering the war. When an American man was drafted, that was pretty much it. If he ran away, he would be labeled a coward and be charged with a fine. If he went to war, he knew that he would never be the same again upon his return. And yet, even though these soldiers had little choice in the matter, they did not come home to a victory parade. Instead, they were viewed negatively as veterans. Add this anti-patriotic homecoming to their Post-traumatic stress, and the soldiers really couldn't win--just like Russian Roulette. I liked the director's use of this concept and found it to be a strong way to convey the problems that Vietnam soldiers faced.