When this essay was written there was an abundance despair and retaliation brewing after the terrorist attacks in the Unites States. These two essays written by John Updike and Susan Sontag resemble the emotion and patriotism involved in the American's lives. I enjoyed Updike's essay in that I was able to go back to that day when it all happened. I remember it vaguely when my mom picked me up for school but it hit close to home as did to many Americans. Sontag's essay was confusing to me with mixed messages that could be interpreted differently.
John Updike's essay was pleasing to read and thumped the reader's heart with the extreme nationalism and pride that was expressed throughout. Later in his essay portrayed the firemen, "Determined men who have transposed their own lives to a martyr's afterlife." This phrase illustrates the bravery that hundreds of firemen and officers offered on September 11, 2001.
At times Sontag reached my emotions about 9/11 but didn't back her thoughts up. in the introduction of the essay, she was admiring the destruction that the terrorists did for their religion which was bone-chilling coming from an American. I felt from reading her words she didn't feel the sadness that most did; however, she was later explaining how "America is not afraid" and "our spirit is unbroken."
I liked the two views that the authors expressed and was touched by the passion that our country had and still has as a result of this horrific event uniting our country.
Jackson, you did a great job discussing the two different views in these articles. Reacting to Updike's article, I especially love the phrase, "[the article] thumped the reader's heart with the extreme nationalism and pride that was expressed throughout." I enjoyed how you took a more optimistic view about American pride, and didn't focus as much about the actual devastation or the aspect of freedom being stolen, because this showed me more about that side. I also agree with your views on Sontag's approach. I too found that she had little actual evidence to support her claims, yet those claims still stirred me up a little and made me think about our leaders and if this was true. Great blog, see ya Tuesday!
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