LatriceJohnson

HonorsColloquium1100
Mr.RobertArnold
27,October2014
TheYellowBirdsReflectiveEssay

Therearemanyunderlyingthemes,issues,andmessagesinTheYellowBirdsthatstood
outtome.InthisreflectiveessayIwilldiscusssomeofthem,withevidencefromthebookto
supportmythoughtsandtomakeconnections.OnemessageIfeelKevinPowersisconveyingto
hisreadersisthepowerofchoiceaswellas,thepowerofpromises.Theseareevident
throughoutthecharactersofPrivateJohnBartle,PrivateDanielMurphy,Bartle'sMother,
Murphy'smother,andLieutenantSterling.
OnpageonesixtyeightinTheYellowBirdsBartleisgoingintogreatdetaildescribinga
timewhenMurphandhewereattackedbymortar,describingtheimpactofthebombsas
follows,TheEarthshookandthevibrationsranuptheheelsofmypalmswheremyhands,now
bloodied,desperatelytriedtopushthedryearthintoaridgeinfrontofmyface.Theyflowedup
tomyelbowsandshookthebuttonsofmyblouse,whichduglikerivetsintotheground.With
thisdisasterunfoldingaroundhim,hemustmakeachoice,toeithercurlupinthemiddleofthe
messandbehelpless,ortogetupandmove.HedescribesthechoicehemadebysayingThisis
mylifeagain,Ithought.Fuckit,ImnotgoingtodieinagravedugbymyownbleedinghandsI
gotupandasIrosetomykneesthemortarsbegantofallagain,thoughnotascloseasbefore.

Bartlemadethedecisiontotakehislifeintohisownhands,hedecidedthathewasnot
goingtodiethere,andsohegotup.Hewasafraidandcrying(pg.168),butinthemidstofhis
pain,hemoved.Thisissuchapowerfulmessagetothereaders.Weallfaceverytoughsituations
inlife.Situationswhere,ifwedontgetupandmove,wemightjustdie.Theauthorisshowing,
throughBartle,thatweallhaveachoicetomake,nomatterwhatthesituation,toeithercurlup
anddieortostandup,takeourlifeintoourhands,andgoon.
ContrarytothisdecisionBartlemade,Murphdecidedtocurlupandlethimselfgo.On
pageoneseventytwoinTheYellowBirds,Murphhasjustwitnessedthedeathofabeautiful
womanandthenewprivateisaskingMurphforahandinhelpingtomoveherbody.Thetext
states,ThenewprivategrabbedthebackendnearherfeetwhileMurphcurledhelplesslyinthe
stillsmolderingruinsofthechapel,mutteringtohimself,overandoveragain,Whatjust
happened..Murphmadethedecisioninthatmomenttogiveuponpossessionofhislifeandis
laterdescribedonpage195asHewalkedasaghost,hisfeetandlegsbleedingfromhiswalk
throughthewireanddetritus.Ghostsarenotliving,theyaredead,andatthemomentsowas
Murph,mentally,spiritually,emotionally,andeventuallyphysically.
ThroughthecharacterofLiteuannateSterling,authorKevinPowersincludesmore
underlyingmessages.Sterlingfoughthardforalongtime,andonnumerousmadethesame
decisionPrivateBartlemadetogetupandgothroughtoughsituationsinhislife.Buteventually
Sterlinghadtoomuchtakenfromhimandhadnomotivetoliveanylonger.Afterdecidingmany
timestotakeholdofhislifeinhisownhands,hedecidestotakehisdeathintohisownhandsas
well.OnPageoneeightyeight,KevinPowersstatesaboutSterlingslifethatEverythinghed
donehasbeenaresponsetoapreexistingexpectation.Hedbeenabletodoonlyonethingfor

himself,trulyforhimself,andithadbeenthelastactofhisshort,disorderedlife.Thetextgoes
ontodescribehowSterlingcommitssuicide.
AnotherconceptIthinkKevinPowersconveysinTheYellowBirdsisthepowerof
promises.Murphy'smomtrustsPrivateBartlewithhersonslife.Onpageonefortyseven,
Murphy'smothersaysNothingsgonnahappentohim,right?Promisethatyoullbringhim
hometome.BartlesaysIpromiseIllbringhimhometoyou.Thispromisechangedthe
livesofBartle,Mrs.Murphy,andSterling,forever.BartlehadtokeephispromisetoMurphys
mom,whichinturnmeantthatSterling,hadindeedmadeapromiseaswell.SinceSterlingwas
theLieutenant,hewasresponsibleforbothBartleandMurph.Sterlingtoldthementhatifthey
justdowhathesays,theywilllive.Onpageoneeightyseven,BartlesaysButIstillbelievein
Sterlingnowbecausemyheartbeats.Sterlingmadethemenapromisehecouldkeep.Bartle
madeonthathecouldnot.WhenMurphdied,Bartlewentagainstthelawtotryandkeepthis
promise,bygettingridofMurphy'sbodyandwritingalettertohismom.Thisshowsthatman
willgotoanyextenttokeeppromises.Promisesarepowerful.
TheYellowBirdsconveyedthepowerthatweashumanshaveonnotonlyourownlives,
butthelivesofothers.Someofourpowerisdisplayedthoughourdecisionsandourpromises.I
useevidencefromthebooktosupportthesetwoclaims.