| Subject: |
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Re: Medal of Honor Rag |
| Name: |
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R. James |
| Date Posted: |
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Jan 27, 01 - 8:21 AM |
| Message: |
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Hello Allison, or shall I say Callista?
Previews are going well. Thank you.
"Medal" is based on the true story of Dwight Johnson who won the Congressional Medal of Honor. It turns out that he took on a whole troop of Vietnamese, armed with only a pistol and a sub-machine gun, after a group of tanks (one in which he was riding in) were ambushed.
Tom plays the doctor who is a specialist in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder which was a "new" illness that few people in the psychiatric community were aware of and familiar with at the time.
Yes, the story is what goes on when these two men meet. The greater story, however, is how on one hand the Medal is awarded to this young man for doing something he was taught by his mother NOT to do - kill.
Is this a good thing for his psyche?
On the other hand, this Medal makes his life easier because all of a sudden he's a hero, and all of a sudden all of the people who wouldn't give him a job, wouldn't speak to him, wouldn't give him any credence except being nothing more than just another faceless, black kid from the ghetto, when he first came back - are suddenly offering him jobs, patting him on the back...NOW he's worthy, NOW he exists. More importantly, obviously the Army also sees value in Dwight because now they can use him as a recruiting pawn (which he realizes) to get other blacks to enlist.
Is this a good thing for his psyche?
The session that they have is not neccesarily "psychologist against patient" but more like how does this doctor reach someone who is as smart as he is, and who might not want to give up something that is "saving" him and making him sick at the same time. The brief relationship that they have starts out adversarial at first, but as the session goes on, they discover that they have very much in common. How these things are revealed provide for a great hour and fifteen minutes.
<<>>
The essay, "From Dakto to Detroit: Death of a Troubled Hero" by John Nordheimer, appeared in the New York Times on May 21, 1971:
http:www.bowdoin.edu/~prael/237/dwight%20johnson.htm
Michael Harper also wrote a series of poems on Johnson's life and death called "Debridement." Being the writer that you are, I'm sure that might interest you.
Much success to you Callista.
Reginald
p.s. I was a "band geek" too!
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Replying to: Hi,
Since it seems the man himself actually answers these...  I was curious as to exactly what goes on in 'Medal of Honor Rag'. I know the general gist of it--psychologist against patient--but am interested in learning more, and I can't find anything. I hope the previews are going well!
-Allison L. |
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