In Country

A detailed Summary of In Country

There are many people who have put their life on the line to serve for our country. Whether it be the Army, Navy, or Marines, they all have one agenda on hand which is to protect and serve our country, United States of America. Some were fortunate to not experience warfare, but others are scarred life with the experiences they have been through. The effects on someone's psychological profile lies within the beholder. One does not have to have a first eye look and be in war situations to truly understand what it is like. As we see in In Country by Bobbie Ann Mason, there are many psychological and emotional effects that the brain undergoes when returning from war. Emmett is a prime example of the after effects of war and it affects those who are close to him.

One of the more common effects that veterans undergo after war is the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Emmett is a prime example of how the Vietnam changes his life after battle. Emmett leads the readers on, wondering "what is his deal." We are aware that he was in the war, but at the same time other veterans are moving on with their lives. They are finding quality jobs and starting a family. Emmett on the other hand is living the same life since his time

in Vietnam. "After his discharge, Emmett stayed with his parents two weeks, then left. He couldn't adjust" (23). He is refusing to find a job. At first, he lived with his niece Sam, and his sister Irene, who babied him. He attempted to go to college and worked odd jobs, but neither lasted. He is left unemployed, despite the fact that he owes the Veteran's Hospital over five-hundred dollars for checks he continued to collect even after he quit college. The character Sam, Emmett niece, is one to notice that Emmett is a changed man from his war experience. One can tell when Mason writes, "She (Sam) realized that not every soldier who came back from Vietnam was as weird as Emmett. She knew of Veterans--relitives of classmates--who had adjusted perfectly well. They had nice house and wives and kids" (46). Through this passage in the book the reader can understand that not everyone coming out of Vietnam was mentally damaged. They were just more focused on being successful at life when returning. Emmett was not.

Throughout In Country Emmett appears to be a lazy couch potatoe with no direction in life. His Vietnam experience has contributed to his actions. Many times during the book the characters talked about Emmett getting a job and Emmett always refused as though he was too good and did not want to work. Emmett's stubbornness is evident when the small bald man at McDonald's said to Emmett, "I head they're hiring at the cookie factory." Emmett then rapidly replies, "Fuck the cookie factory" (37). This was a sign to the reader that Emmett just really does not care. He wants to live his life day by day and do the same things everyda

Some common words found in the essay are:
McDonald's Emmett, PTSD Emmett, Agent Orange, Murray University, Country Emmett, Emmett Veterans--relitives, Ann Mason, United America, Vietnam War, Kentucky Emmett, agent orange, emmett prime example, emmett prime, bobbie ann, direction life, loved ones, cookie factory, sam tries, serve country, reader emmett, prime example,

Approximate Word count = 1115
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English