Extra Credit: The Deer Hunter

The movie Deer Hunter depicts the lives of three factory workers who want to enlist in the Vietnam War. The movie examines how the Vietnam War affected the lives of the people in a small town suburb in Pennsylvania. When the three men Steven, Michael and Nick finally go to war they become prisoners of war or simply P.O.W. This is a historical reference because the United States soldiers who fought in the war often were captured and became prisoners of war. The movie emphasizes how soldiers were treated while they were hostages in their prison cell. For example, they were made to play Russian roulette, which is a game in which different member take turn shooting a gun to their head. Although all three were able to escape the prison they became separated. Throughout the movie it also illustrates how soldiers became after they came home from the war. For example, many of them lost limbs and displayed signs of post-traumatic stress disorder. In the movie the loss of limbs were shown by the character Steven who lost his legs while fighting in the war. Overall, the movie emphasizes how ordinary people become different after they fought in the Vietnam war.