What We Take for Granted

A detailed Summary of What We Take for Granted


People always say it's the little things that we take for granted. Whether it be

being able to talk with someone, or hold someone, or even just being able to tell what

time of day it is. In Dalton Trumbos' novel, "Johnny Got His Gun", one really begins to

understands what it would be like to have very simple things taken away from them.

Joe Bonhame, finds himself tragically injured from the war. Over time he slowly

begins to realize all of the things that he has lost. The first thing that he loses is his

hearing. "He was awake even though he couldn't hear a thing except a telephone that

wasn't ringing. He was mighty scared"(p9). At first Joe doesn't realize that he has lost

his hearing and he is under the impression that there is actually a phone ringing

somewhere, but, it's really only in his mind. But once he realizes that he actually can't

hear anything at all, he goes into a state of shock almost. "The shock caused his heart

to smash against his ribs. He grew prickly all over. His heart was pounding away in his

chest but he couldn't hear the pulsing in his ear"(p10). He then begins to think about all

the things that he will never again get to experience. At first he thinks about all the bad


is time."All that he knew was that on a day in September in 1918 time stopped"(p126).

can do is cheer him on and stop and think about all the little things that they take for

coming down fast or the slow thunder as it hit or the whine of an airplane

can get a hold o yourself and keep yourself in the world but if you lose it why then you

something much more important. Without it, a person could go crazy, as Joe almost

are lost too"(p126). For Joe, there were no options. he had to regain a sense of time

hear the biting little castanent sound of a machine gun or the high whistle of a .75



Some common words found in the essay are:
Sadly Joe, Joe Bonhame, Joe Joe, Shale City, , Johnny Gun, realize lost, Dalton Trumbos', little granted, begins realize lost, fishing rod, rod lost, slowly begins, joe lost, able tell, begins realize, couldn't hear,

Approximate Word count = 964
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

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