Assignment for Craven

Rating: 8/10 (14 May 2008)

#3. What's the deal with the French character who introduces Nicky to the Russian Roulette den in Saigon? What is this character suppose to symbolize? In The Deer Hunter, the French man could be seen as representing the government of the United States. Just as he lured Nick into competing at Russian Roulette with his fancy car and promises of money and fame, the U.S. government was luring in young men by glamorizing the war, and the benefits. However, behind the glamor of the romanticized view of war provided by the government lurked the dark truth of the matter, just like with the Russian Roulette in the movie. Like the shooting game, the war was also a lose-lose situation for the drafted soldiers. They had two options. One was to fight, and be either killed, wounded, or emotionally scarred and traumatized. The other option was to dodge the draft, probably be labeled a coward, arrested, and generally shunned by society. Even though it could seem like an opportunity at first, any way you look at it, a soldier was pretty much screwed.
Just in case you haven't figured it out by now, this is Alex Bates.