The Three Soldiers review
Introduction
“The Three Soldiers” by Bruce Holland Rogers is a short story that is made up of three mini-stories, including; “the hardest question,” “foreign war,” and “decisions decision.” The story focuses on the theme of family and freedom and how soldiers live in fear while trying to protect their homes and the American nation on the war grounds. This essay focuses on providing an analysis of how the three mini-stories are connected through the themes of family and freedom.
Theme of family
The story, “the hardest question,” outlines that the soldiers strive to their American nation, that is also their family, through the protection of the things that Americans hardly think about, and how they live like a family in combat through protecting one another. The sergeant says, “do you want us to revive them for a third time even though they are most likely brain dead.” In the story, “foreign wars,” a soldier loses a member of his family in the battlefield, In the beginning, the soldier could hardly understand why the younger soldier said, “we have come so far from home that we will never get back.” He realizes this statement when he goes back home without his brother in combat. The third story, “decisions, decisions,” further illustrates the bond that exists between soldiers, who struggle to keep each other safe, as seen in the text, “I should be there, helping them decide.” The soldier’s association shares a bond that connects any other family.
Theme of Freedom
In “the hardest question,” the soldiers try to obtain freedom from war and freedom to get anything they want at their disposal, as seen in the text, “where can I get more gun oil tomorrow, maybe.” The war is killing soldiers, but they do not know when they will be free again. In the “Foreign wars,” the soldiers on the battlefield do not know when they will be at liberty to go home again, or if they will ever be home alive. Calder says, “we have come so far from home that we will never get back.” In “decisions, decisions, “the soldiers are fighting the enemies of the state to keep their families free and safe. As much as they are dying on the battlefield, they have faith in the safety of their home.
Conclusion
The three stories outline the lives of the three soldiers on the battlefield and the hardships they face away from their friends and family in fighting for the freedom of the American nation. The soldiers take care of each other as a family does and do not know whether or they will ever get back home alive. The question of freedom does not seem to have a definite answer.