Xavier Marzulli 811 ELA No Man's Land: summer reading response

             Xavier Marzulli     No Man's Land: summer reading response     811 ELA

   This summer I read, No Man's Land, by S.T. Underdahl. The book was very thoughtful and deep. The reason I say this is because it contained plenty of conflicts and moments that really made you think about the world and what may be happening in certain families. The story explains a certain time in a teenage boy's life, specifically, Dov's life. Dov, the main character has a brother named Brian. Brian joins the National Guard so that he can pay for college. Sure enough, Brian's squadron is sent out to provide more troops in Afghanistan. His whole family worries about him everyday, Dov especially. However, life continues with Brian away as Dov faces his own highs and lows. What really struck me were the family conflicts that occur while Brian is away. Also interesting were the imaginary conversations between Dov and his pet lizard, Leo, which Brian had gotten Dov for his birthday. Lastly, I was moved by the author's explanation of what happens to Brian after he gets back home and what scars the war has left on him.

      A powerful thing the author includes in the book are the indept descriptions of the conflicts that
happen between Dov's mom and dad. For example, she creates brutal arguments that the parents exchange, "'...I don't know what the answer is, Mick. I'm just saying ... you're gone all the time. I need ...' '...Oh, you need? You need? It always comes back to that, doesn't it, Laura?! When do I get to say what I need for a change?...'" [pg. 8-9]. This shows what happens now and then according to Dov. Dov's dad really does go hard on Laura, in the book he even makes fun of her old job's company name. The name is Hook, Burns & Miller and he calls it, "Hook, Line and Sinker". Although he has many conflicts with his wife and son while Brian is gone, I feel like these conflicts may be produced, because he wants to cover up how he feels now that Brian is gone, as if finding someone to blame.

      Moving on, I find the "conversations" between Dov and his lizard, Leo, very strong. Leo acts as another brother to Dov while Brian is gone. In the text, Dov shows us that bond, " 'Hey bud,' I call softly. 'What do you think Brian's doing right now?' [new paragraph] Well, considering the nine-hour time difference, Leo opines, your brother is probably washing the dirt off his hands in 
preparation for dinner. [paragraph finish] 'Yeah, I guess you're  probably right.' I hope it's something like that."[pg. 16-17]. Sadly, by the end of the book Leo dies and a deep moment is carried through Dov. This type of writing and textual feelings are essential, they add quiet moments to the book, but keep those moments exciting for the reader.

      Finishing off, I find the book exceptional in the way she doesn't just finish the book off  with a happy "yay!" feeling that Brian is back. She explains the effects that Afghanistan left on Brian.
Brian has horrible dreams and even carries a gun with him while he's sleeping (secretly) without his parents knowing. Only, Dov, noticed as he was sleeping one night and this really shocked Dov, it even seems to scare him, but he decides to keep quiet about it. Another mark that Brian picked up was, Post-Truamatic Stress Disorder. PTSD, is something that many soldiers pick up once they're back from a war they fought, typically one like Afghanistan. Brian is one of those people. In the book something very dangerous that happens is when Brian, Dov and Mick all go on a hunting trip. As the three go out to hunt for deer, Brian starts to have the visions of Afghanistan (this is obviously
triggered because of the rifle he was carrying while they were hunting). Once Dov realizes what is happening, he tries to "wake Brian up", but is unsuccessful in doing so. Soon, Brian spots their dad and thinks that he's an enemy. Mick almost gets killed, but Brian snaps back out of it before any bullets are fired. The crazy part is, that Brian doesn't remember the visions he sees, only the people around him notice the visions. Obviously, PTSD is the worst effect that Brian picked up from the war and giving him a rifle wasn't the best idea.

      In the end, the book may not have been my favorite book of "all time", but it was definitely a book I recommend reading. It's just wonderful in the way that it's written, with powerful tone and real life scenarios. Also, a positive point of the book is that it really connects to the real world. It gives a plot that could have happened to families and individuals in the past and could still be happening to this present day. I still wonder whether Brian shapes out his life and sets it back on track, or if the war effected him so much that it completely changed his whole mindset and feelings about life.