This book was obviously fictionalized, but it makes an important point for any cadet: it's easy to get so caught up in the moment that you forget the big picture. It only takes one year to make something "tradition," because all it takes is one person comin' back as a sophomore saying, "But that's what they did to me!" It's easy to get sucked into the trap of groupthink at any military school. I love the movie and the book equally, because they have helped me to maintain my individualism over the past 3.5 years. especially us hopeless idealists who ended up going to military schools, for whatever reason. Plus, it made me appreciate the rivalry (and respect) between the two schools.Īgain, reviving an old thread. The website is and all proceeds from the sale of the book go to a scholarship fund set up for a VMI alum (and story participant) who was killed while serving in Iraq. Not a rah-rah "fluff piece" on military school life. I laughed, cried, and winced at some of what I read, but I highly recommend it if you want reality-check-insight as I did/do. It tells the true story of a VMI prank (stealing the Citadel's jeep) and transporting it from Charleston to Lexington (seems unbelievable, but what a tale!).but the story is about much, much more: the author is gut-wrenchingly honest and candid re: his feelings about the Institute, his experiences, his peers, and most interestingly, himself. I saw mention of the book, "The Jeep: A Story of the Virginia Military Institute" on the Op-For website, ordered the book and thoroughly enjoyed it (as did my husband and son is reading it now). Since my son will attend VMI in the Fall, I have searched for as much info as possible so I can better understand his decision and his future. I'm glad that Conroy and the Citadel have reconciled in the last few years- but I wouldn't recommend this book. The fact that someone titled this post ("Lords of Disclipline (re: Citadel, VMI) demonstrates exactly why I don't like it- you may know it's fiction and I may know it's fiction but clearly plenty of people out there are taking this as slightly retooled reality. I don't like the "Lords of Discipline" for exactly those reasons- it gives a very skewed perspective of life at a barely fictional southern military college and Conroy meant it to be that way which was why he was a reviled figure for years at the Citadel. For example- plenty of fictional movie and literary accounts of Vietnam that have eventually become part of the popular memories of the war. Funny thing about fiction though- it has a funny way of influencing the perceptions and the debate whether they are actually true or not (which is of course exactly why they force you to read and analyze fiction in your english classes).
0 kommentar(er)
