The film, The War conveyed many lessons about war, Post Traumatic Stress, and even just life in general, but in the end all of the lessons in this film revolved around the idea of being able to find good in any situation, no matter how bad or hard that situation may be. This movie takes place in Mississippi in the year of 1970 and focuses on the lives of a family of four; two children named Lidia and Stu, their mother, and their father who happened to be a Vietnam war veteran. Throughout this movie, this idea is constantly being portrayed through different characters, events, images, music, sound, and memories within the film.
First of all, the memories in this film were a very important factor in helping to present the lessons that the film had to offer, which shows why this film is does in fact fit the memoir genre. A few times throughout this movie Stew and Lidia Simmons' father, Stephen, would have flash backs to his time serving in the Vietnam War that were a big part in portraying many different ideas and lessons of this movie. One of the big things that these flashbacks focused on was the fact that Stephen Simmons suffered Post Traumatic Stress, or P.T.S. Probably the most important flashback to the war that Stephen had in this movie was the one he had that he explained to Stu where he was forced to leave his injured best friend behind in battle because the helicopter did not have enough room for him. This flashback shows just one of the many detailed memories that Stephen had that factored into him suffering from Post Traumatic Stress. These flashbacks and memories also played a big part in bringing up the subject of specifically the title of what Stephen was suffering from: "Post Traumatic Stress". Most people know that P.T.S is also often called P.T.S.D which stands for "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder", and This movie does a great job at explaining that Post Traumatic Stress should not be referred to as a "disorder". The word "disorder" implies that there is something wrong with the person who is suffering from it, but in reality they are just living with something in their head that they can't control. This film shows that there is nothing Stephen can do about his stress from the war and it shows that he still lives the most normal life he can and that he didn't do anything wrong to obtain the Post Traumatic Stress that he has, therefore there is nothing he can do about it. Memories are just one of the big factors that played into teaching the lessons that this film contained.
Another way that this film portrayed it's lessons was through music. For example, there are a few scenes throughout the movie where Lidia and her friends are as happy as ever just singing a song with each other. This really shows the main lesson of this movie, finding the good in every situation no matter how hard that may be. The way that the girls were in such a great mood even though they were all going through rough financial times really showed how they could be happy as long as they pushed aside all the bad. Another part in the movie that showed this was when Stu and Lidia's father died and the music was very slow and sad, but in the next scene where all of the children were fighting over the fort it was the complete opposite. This just showed that once one door closes in your life, not every other one has to close as well and one can still have fun and enjoy as long as they stay positive. Although it may be overlooked, the music in this film played a much bigger role than some my think.
Finally, probably the most important way that the lesson of this movie was presented was through images. There are many examples of diversity, how war affects the lives of people, and of course the idea of being able to find good in any situation. Early in the movie Stu goes to wake up his Dad, and his Dad begins to strangle him as a reaction. This shows how Post Traumatic Stress has the ability to deeply effect the lives of many people in various ways. Another way that the lessons of this film were portrayed though this film was the change in the way people were treated because of their race, specifically in the classroom Lidia and her friends were in. During the first scene of the classroom, the teacher moved all of the African-American children to the back of the room, and put all of the others in the front. In this scene Lidia stood up to the teacher for picking on these children, and by the end of the movie the children were sitting wherever they wanted, no matter their race. This image really showed how no matter how hard and sad a situation is, it can always be overcome and the bright side can always be found if enough effort is put in. Another image in this film that presented a big lesson was the conflict between the Lipnicki's and the Simmons'. Throughout the entire film there was always conflict and fighting between these two families, generally the children, but at the end of the movie when Billy Lipnicki gets himself into a near death situation the children from each of the families have to work together in a way to save the life of this child. This part of the film just shows that even though war can be necessary in some occasions, it is not always needed and it is very far from just fun and games in the end. There are very many lessons that can be learned from watching the film The War, but in the end what it all comes down to is the idea of being able to find the good in any situation, no matter how bad that situation may be, as long as enough effort and heart is put in to the task.
First of all, the memories in this film were a very important factor in helping to present the lessons that the film had to offer, which shows why this film is does in fact fit the memoir genre. A few times throughout this movie Stew and Lidia Simmons' father, Stephen, would have flash backs to his time serving in the Vietnam War that were a big part in portraying many different ideas and lessons of this movie. One of the big things that these flashbacks focused on was the fact that Stephen Simmons suffered Post Traumatic Stress, or P.T.S. Probably the most important flashback to the war that Stephen had in this movie was the one he had that he explained to Stu where he was forced to leave his injured best friend behind in battle because the helicopter did not have enough room for him. This flashback shows just one of the many detailed memories that Stephen had that factored into him suffering from Post Traumatic Stress. These flashbacks and memories also played a big part in bringing up the subject of specifically the title of what Stephen was suffering from: "Post Traumatic Stress". Most people know that P.T.S is also often called P.T.S.D which stands for "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder", and This movie does a great job at explaining that Post Traumatic Stress should not be referred to as a "disorder". The word "disorder" implies that there is something wrong with the person who is suffering from it, but in reality they are just living with something in their head that they can't control. This film shows that there is nothing Stephen can do about his stress from the war and it shows that he still lives the most normal life he can and that he didn't do anything wrong to obtain the Post Traumatic Stress that he has, therefore there is nothing he can do about it. Memories are just one of the big factors that played into teaching the lessons that this film contained.
Another way that this film portrayed it's lessons was through music. For example, there are a few scenes throughout the movie where Lidia and her friends are as happy as ever just singing a song with each other. This really shows the main lesson of this movie, finding the good in every situation no matter how hard that may be. The way that the girls were in such a great mood even though they were all going through rough financial times really showed how they could be happy as long as they pushed aside all the bad. Another part in the movie that showed this was when Stu and Lidia's father died and the music was very slow and sad, but in the next scene where all of the children were fighting over the fort it was the complete opposite. This just showed that once one door closes in your life, not every other one has to close as well and one can still have fun and enjoy as long as they stay positive. Although it may be overlooked, the music in this film played a much bigger role than some my think.
Finally, probably the most important way that the lesson of this movie was presented was through images. There are many examples of diversity, how war affects the lives of people, and of course the idea of being able to find good in any situation. Early in the movie Stu goes to wake up his Dad, and his Dad begins to strangle him as a reaction. This shows how Post Traumatic Stress has the ability to deeply effect the lives of many people in various ways. Another way that the lessons of this film were portrayed though this film was the change in the way people were treated because of their race, specifically in the classroom Lidia and her friends were in. During the first scene of the classroom, the teacher moved all of the African-American children to the back of the room, and put all of the others in the front. In this scene Lidia stood up to the teacher for picking on these children, and by the end of the movie the children were sitting wherever they wanted, no matter their race. This image really showed how no matter how hard and sad a situation is, it can always be overcome and the bright side can always be found if enough effort is put in. Another image in this film that presented a big lesson was the conflict between the Lipnicki's and the Simmons'. Throughout the entire film there was always conflict and fighting between these two families, generally the children, but at the end of the movie when Billy Lipnicki gets himself into a near death situation the children from each of the families have to work together in a way to save the life of this child. This part of the film just shows that even though war can be necessary in some occasions, it is not always needed and it is very far from just fun and games in the end. There are very many lessons that can be learned from watching the film The War, but in the end what it all comes down to is the idea of being able to find the good in any situation, no matter how bad that situation may be, as long as enough effort and heart is put in to the task.
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