The World is Never Clear Cut
More civilians died in World War 2 than actual solders. Many of these deaths were in fact caused by the Allied bombing raids to defeat the “evil Nazis”. Hardly many things in this world are black and white. This has appeared even in literature for all time in all places.
Thus the world is mostly gray. The greyness in this world is apparent in the book Flowers for Algernon by Danial Keyes in the following ways. In the book, the main character is Charlie Gordon who is a man that has an IQ of 68. He is given an opportunity for his IQ to be tripled. He wanted to be like normal people not realizing that he was more like other people when he had his low IQ. ” When I become intelligant like Dr.
Strauss says, with three times my IQ of 68 maybe I will be like normal people” Keyes 361. Clearly the scientists were trying to use Charly’s low understanding to try to have him take the operation. ” I hope they use me. Miss Kinnan says maybe they can make me smart. I want to be smart.
” Keyes 361. Sadly Charlie didn’t realize how smart he would actually be. Charlie was happy that he became the smartest person ever but it still is sad that he never was like normal people showing that bad can come from good. In the book, Star Wars Republic Commando by Karen Traviss this truth is apparent not because the clones don’t know what they are going into, but they have no choice as they are required to fight for the Republic. The book takes place on the planet Qiilura where there is a Separatist research outpost were a scientist is trying to make a disease to kill all the clones.
The Republic sends a squad of Commandos to destroy the outpost. There is also a Jedi padawan named Etain trapped on the planet. In a section of the book Etain tries a flavorless ration cube and asks one of the clones, “Is this how they treat you, like farm animals?”Traviss 118. This shows that she didn’t believe in the treatment of clones. She also talks to another clone about how the Jedi make the clones fight for them.
She makes the statement, “We use you don’t we?” Traviss 202. That is another expression of the greyness in literature. Another, appearance of grayness in the world is in the movie Patton, based off of Patton’s real story. Patton would try to defeat the Nazis by any means necessary. He also had contempt for yellow bellies, solders who could not take fighting any longer.
He even slapped one that caused Patton to be taken off active duty and sent to England. Ironically, placing him in position to take command of US forces after D-day. His contempt for yellow bellies was shown in North Africa when he saw some solders with self inflected wounds, ” I don’t care if he dies…
Get those yellow bellies out of here.” Patton. He made that statement even though one of the solders had a serious infection which could of been lethal. His policy of getting things done no matter the cost was shown during the Battle of the Bulge when Patton addressed his officers with the statement, ” It you aren’t victorious then let none of you come back alive!” Patton This showed Patton’s policy of getting things done no matter the cost showing Patton is not black or white. Another example of unclear decisions in history is the use of atomic bombs.
After the Enola Gay dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, the tail gunner on the bomber described the site as, “A peep into Hell.” During the development of the atomic bomb President Roosevelt said, “What would America want with such a weapon?” It is possible the atomic bombs caused less deaths than would have happened if America had invaded Japan. Still it was a mass slaughter of innocent civilians. Of course you could argue if civilians are ever innocent but that is not what is being discussed. The theme that is mostly grey, is evident in my own life.
Here is a time I remember well. I have been shocked about what people will do to accomplish what they believe is right. I have seen people who, say want to stop bulling will beat up the bully. They will also steal what they want in the process. Also people who think somebody does not belong will try to make that person’s life horrible.
This shows greyness even at our schools. That is how the truth the world is mostly grey is present in this universe. It is present in literature and throughout history. It is also present in many lives and current events. It is very likely that it will appear for the rest of history, because it is human nature to do anything to solve problems. That is how greyness is everywhere.
