2) Leper is the first of the boys to enlist. Based on the conversations and narration in the previous few chapters, what about this is ironic?
Leper is the first person to enlist in the army. No one expects this because Leper was never interested in the war or anything that had to do with the war. But, once Leper sees the video of ski troops skiing down the mountain he suddenly can relate to the war. It is almost as if he finds the war fun and exciting in a way. In his prospective the war now consist of the one thing he loves, skinning. But the one thing Leper doesn't realizes is that the skiing preformed in the war is completely different than the sport that he loves. This is clearly stated on page 125 "You know what? Now I see what racing skiing is all about. It's all right to miss seeing the trees and the countryside and all the other things when you've got to be in a hurry. And when you're in a war you've got to be in a hurry. Don't you? So I guess maybe racing skiers weren't running the sport after all. They were preparing it, if you see what I mean, for the future. Everything has to evolve or else it perishes" (Knowles 125). I agree with Ayame when she said that Brinker was not jealous. I feel that despite all the jokes Brinker is honoring Leper in a way for his courage. He was giving him credit for very heroic deeds like trying assassinate Hitler. This is intended to be a joke but really has an important meaning.
I agree. It's almost like Leper has been tricked into enlisting with something that only appealed to him, skiing. In the past, Leper seemed to want to do things at his own pace, like when he was "touring" with skis. The war is the opposite. It is completely rigid, with no room to do things at his own pace or do things his own way. This is why it's ironic. Leper is the opposite of the army. Does Leper's message to Gene mean that he's changed his mind about enlisting?
ReplyDeleteThis post definitely has some good points. I do agree that the ski troops video more or less tricked Leper into joining the war, and his telegram at the end proves that. Its also ironic that he is the first to enlist because he always seemed like the least cut out for army duty. He was always the peaceful, nature loving kid at Devon. This makes the war seem even less real to Gene. He says in the beginning of the chapter "No real war could draw Leper voluntarily away from his snails and beaver dams." (Knowles 123). This i think throws everyone off a bit at Devon, making them doubt themselves because the boy who seemed to be the most pacifist has been drawn in to the conflict.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the idea that Leper enlisted because of skiing. He was described as somebody that was always out of it and just in his own world collecting snails or looking for a beaver dam while everyone is working. He did love to ski though and enjoy the countryside but when he watched the movie something hit him and he realized that skiing isn't all about noticing the view but its about having fun. I don't necessarily think that the movie was the only thing that made Leper think of enlisting but he just randomly snapped into world and left his own world that he has been in for the past years. He realizes that the war is a test,"i'm almost glad this war came along. It's like a test, isn't it, and only the things and the people who've been evolving the right way to survive." (knowles p. 125). Throughout the beginning of this chapter Leper just grows up and realizes that it is time for him to enlist even if it is ironic that Leper, out of all of the boys that could have enlisted, was the first.
ReplyDeleteYes Leper joined because he was in love with the skiing recruitment. What he did not know was that he was tricked into joining because really there is no skiing troops for America. Then he sends the signal saying he ran away. It is tipical for Leper to run away because from what we know of him he runs away from many things.
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