Although Kovic was able to admit to himself that he had begun to change his views on the war in Vietnam, he was still putting on a front for his family and friends by telling them that the pain and suffering was worth it because he had helped America (41). Kovic encountered more feelings of rejection before he is pushed over the edge and fully gained strong convictions that the war in Vietnam was wrong.

The disapproval towards Kovic did not stop in the hospital, but continued to haunt him when he returned to his childhood town. It was upon Kovic's return home that he realized many of his fellow citizens did not view him as a war hero. Kovic and another injured veteran participated in a parade in honor of those who fought in Vietnam. Kovic expected people to be waving and cheering for him since he had risked his life to fight for their country, but to his disappointment, all he received was blank looks from his fellow countrymen. Not only was Kovic not welcomed home, but also when his escorts tried to help him out of car, they carelessly flung his paralyzed body around almost dropping him (106). The fact that Kovic was shown so much disrespect and no apprieceiation continued to push him towards becoming an antiwar activist.

After the parade, Kovic had to sit and listen to business men who knew nothing about the Vietnam War. The men at the microphone did not participate in the war, and had no right to be standing up and preaching to the American people about what was going on in Vietnam. Kovic wanted to be the one telling people about what had gone on in Vietnam because he had witnessed it first hand (107). This was another slap in the face for Kovic, and it deepened his hate for the war in Vietnam.

The day that Kovic had longed for finally came. He was shot by the enemy and the seriousness of his wounds enabled him to receive his desired medical discharge. The first time Kovic was shot, it went through his foot but he continued to fire at the enemy. Then it happened. The bullet that would change Kovic's life forever struck through his right shoulder, pierced his lung, and shattered his spinal cord (222). As Kovic lay in the marshes, of Vietnam the only thing he could think about was that he might die at that moment for nothing (222). While Kovic lay there thinking it was the end, he was finally able to voice what had been in heart since the day he shot the corporal - fighting in Vietnam was doing nothing do help America. This was a major emotional turning point for Kovic because he was beginning to admit to himself that he had a change of heart. Although fighting in the Vietnam War almost took his life, Kovic began to realize that he did not agree with the war.

After Kovic was shot and paralyzed from the chest down, his life turned upside down and his resentment towards the Vietnam War grew immensely. It was in the hospital that Kovic got his first glimpse of how Vietnam veterans were treated. In the VA hospital, the doctors and nurses were always laughing, yelling, and disrespecting the patients (41-42). The hospital was filthy and the veterans were treated like they were worthless. At this point, Kovic was shocked to see how much disrespect he rece

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Approximate Word count = 2165
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)