Deer Hunter assignment

Rating: Null/10 (21 December 2005)

1) The Russian Roulette scenes symbolized the situation that the Vietnam veteran found themselves in. This situation was lose lose, and the director was emphasizing this with all of the scenes in which a character was playing Russian Roulette. The reason why the Vietnam war may as well have been a prolonged game of Russian Roulette is in part due to the way society viewed those who went and served, and also those who dodged the draft. If your number came up, and you ran to Canada you would be labeled a coward as well as find yourself in trouble with the U.S. Government. Although there is another side to this coin, and it is not any better. If a person went to war they were also despised by society. They returned not to open arms, and words of praise, but to disdain, and the name "baby killers". It was at about this time that the idea of Patriotism began to change into something different. Before this time historically patriotism had been the willingness to give your life for a cause that your country was currently fighting for, but at around the time of Vietnam Patriotism seemed to become a whole new animal. Patriotism was showing your willingness to disagree with the government. All of this made the Vietnam war a very deadly "game" for any one involved. I think that the Russian Roulette was a very accurate depiction of the situation that the veterans found themselves in.