"Vietnam flashbacks are not a reliable strategy for drawing me into a story." Some day they should have a book written based on the responses of a focus group. When that day comes, you BEST be on the panel.
Oh, Mara, I can never quite tell when you are mocking me.
I think it's a knee-jerk reactions to the Vietnam movies of the 80s--there were a lot of them and they pretty much all had the same emotional message (I only listed the ones I watched). I get the feeling sometimes that authors are all, "my character has had this traumatic experience, feel empathy for him" with their character development.
On another note, it's curious that the various Middle East conflicts haven't made it into the same level of public consciousness.
No mocking at all. It's a well-worn trope; that's not to say that the real deal wasn't/isn't worth discussing, but it can feel lazy...and for this kid to experience empathy, an author really has to up their game!
I think it's a knee-jerk reactions to the Vietnam movies of the 80s--there were a lot of them and they pretty much all had the same emotional message (I only listed the ones I watched). I get the feeling sometimes that authors are all, "my character has had this traumatic experience, feel empathy for him" with their character development.
On another note, it's curious that the various Middle East conflicts haven't made it into the same level of public consciousness.