Heartbreaking Experience in Johnny Got His Gun and Shenandoah Essay Example

The experience of heartbreak is different for everyone.  People get heartbroken for different reasons.  People cope differently, but heartbreak is always the same kind of pain no matter who is experiencing it.  In the novel, Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo, and the film Shenandoah directed by Andrew V. McLaglen, they present the idea that war causes harm, including heartbreak.  Although Charlie Anderson and Joe Bonham are different individuals, they share many similar problems.  Both characters have to fight in a war they don’t want to fight, they lose themselves and family members along the way.  They both experience painful heartbreak because of the extreme violence war.

Trumbo’s approach is clear that Joe does not want to leave for war.  During Joe’s departure, he hesitates.  Joe does not want to leave his loved ones behind and they do not want Joe to leave.  Joe’s family wants him to “write to [them]” to keep in touch.  Joe makes sure he says goodbye to everyone before getting on the train.  “I don’t want to go… But I’ve got to go” (37).  Joe saying goodbye to his own family and Kareen’s family brings everyone, especially Joe into a heartache of sadness. 

Charlie Anderson never thought about going to war.  He knows that he does not want that for his family.  “I see no reason to fight for something I don’t believe is right” (Shenandoah). Charlie repeats this to his family to make sure they understand there is no need to go off and fight.  Things change when an Anderson child was taken.  Charlie decides to go into war to save his family. Charlie did not support the reason why, but he had little to no hesitation to go and fight in this war.  His son, Boy Anderson is taken and the only way to get him back is to go to war and find his son. As soon as Charlie finds out about Boy getting taken by the Yankees, he knows bringing his family into war will end up having a heartbreaking ending. 

Joe has been through a lot ever since he entered the war.  Joe losing many body parts and their function made him feel solitary.  He suffered through many injuries but loneliness is known to be a painful injury for Joe.  Throughout his life, he has lost his family and friends such as Bill Harper (his best friend).  The person he lost to most is himself.  Having all these injuries makes him struggle since it is just him and his thoughts.  Joe has no way to connect with people and things around him. In book one, “The Dead '' Joe starts to be more negative about the doctors saving him and keeping him alive.  He becomes more aggressive with his thoughts.  In book two, “The Living”, Joe comes to the realization that he has to stay alive for the ones who did die from war.  He comprehends that he can find a way to connect with the world again after everything he has lost. 

Charlie has also lost many things, such as family members.  Charlie first loses his wife, Martha when his youngest son is born.  When Martha passes away, Charlie promises his wife to keep the house assembled and to have the Anderson kids be raised that way their mother wants them to be raised.  Charlie wants to keep his promise to his wife and that’s what he focuses on. Charlie later establishes that he needs him and his family to go find Boy.  In addition, Charlie had even more heartbreak due to the war.  Losing more people in his life (James, Ann, and Jacob), just to find one person.  Charlie risked plenty of lives to find one.

As these protagonists have many things in common, they also have differences.  Joe fought for himself as Charlie fought his family.  Charlie wanted to keep his family safe and together.  Charlie wanted to protect his family.  Charlie goes to war only to protect his family. However, Joe goes to war for himself.  He feels the need to go to war even though he would rather not go to war.  These characters both go to war for different reasons. 

In conclusion, both Charlie and Joe are fighting for themselves and to protect their families throughout the war.  Along the way there are many obstacles and hardships they face. Both of these stories show the true meaning behind heartbreak.  Joe lost who he was and Charlie lost many people he wanted to keep safe.  People's lives can have the point where they feel as if things are getting better.  Sooner or later those things can fall back down and end up not being a happy ending.  Having a disappointing ending equals a heartbreaking experience. 

Work Cited

Shenandoah. Directed by Andrew McLaglen. Perf. James Stweart, Doug McClure, Rosemary Forsyth. Universal Studios, 2003.

Trumbo, Dalton. Johnny Got His Gun. Bantam, 1989.