I have just finished reading Billy
Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk and I can honestly say that I enjoyed reading it.
I found it funny and easy to read, all while viewing the complex issue of war
from the side heard from the least: the soldiers. There was only one aspect in
which the book made me uncomfortable, the fact that someone who has not
experienced war seems so determined to write about the traumas it induces. My basic question is whether the author has the right to depict soldiers and their unique challenges without really experiencing them himself.
To the best of my limited research,
Ben Fountain has not served in the military. So it begs the question of how he
can accurately write about the mental difficulties that Billy and the rest of
Bravo squad face. It is easy to theorize, but how can we accept his seemingly
unfounded views? I moved past this issue in several ways. Firstly, the book was
enjoyable so I was able to temporarily put aside my concerns. The second coping
method I found didn't happen until the literal last page of the book, where Fountain
dedicates the book. Four of the people he dedicates the book to are thanked for
their “guidance on military life” (309). This is comforting to me, both the
fact that the author has clearly done some very personal research to support
the book, and also that the knowledge that can only be gained through actual
experience is being divulged by four people rather than just one.
A third way I overcame my
uneasiness about Fountain writing from a first-hand military experience without
ever having experiencing it comes from acknowledging my own naivety. I
obviously have no military experience, so I can’t judge someone for their
imagined inaccuracies. I can’t even truly know if the experiences and thoughts
that Fountain portrays are what people in those situations feel like. This
complicated issue is only complicated further by the fact that the book is
technically fiction, despite the fact that it is trying to be realistic and
discuss very serious things. In the end, it just comes down to what you decide
you will accept. I trust that Fountain and his four “guides” on military life have
worked together closely enough to create a work that depicts what real people
might be going through in such intense lifestyles.
I do see what you are arguing for, but I didn't really have that big of an issue throughout the novel. It is true that Fountain does not really have any military experience himself; however, I was fine with it for the following reasons.
ReplyDeleteFirstly, the novel focus is on mocking how the war is generally viewed in America rather than describing the brutal experience soldiers go through in Iraq. The key element is the contrast between the reality in Iraq, and what is perceived as reality in America. In my opinion, Fountain focuses heavily on the overblown victory tour more than what really happened during the war. The broken word pages, the spelled out southern accents, and the depiction of individuals such as Norman Oglesby and March Hawey are all example of Fountain efforts to make the contrast as stark as possible. Perhaps you are correct, and Fountain does not have the expertise to properly comment on what war is like. Still I think he is very successful at getting his message across.
Secondly, the fact that this is a work of fiction allows him to have some liberty with his writing. As you have mentioned, I trust that Fountain did his research on military life in Iraq, and the effect it has on the soldiers. He may not be 100% accurate, but I personally thought he was convincing enough as I felt "comfortable" accepting his descriptions.