I recommend "Death of a Dogface" by J.D. Salinger

I recommend "Death of a Dogface" by J.D. Salinger

by Alyssa Barber -
Number of replies: 0

This short story is centered not only on the attack on Pearl Harbor, but on the friendship developed between a new recruit and his superior on his first night at boot camp. After this recruit survived the attack, he has trouble watching movies about war, as his experience was so different and he feels dishonored with the exclusively good-looking soldiers shown dying on screen. However, his wife enjoys these movies. He knew a man who was known as a "dog face" who died more heroically than anyone he's ever seen on a screen. He decides to tell his wife about this brave man while on a road trip. While telling her, she gains a perspective on war I believe J.D. Salinger himself hoped the reader would gain along with her. I highly recommend this short story - as it was written not too long after Salinger himself served in the trenches of World War Two and perhaps gives us some insight on the horrors we hope to never experience again.