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Born On The Fourth Of July Summary

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You can make a case to go in several directions when discussing the book Born on The Fourth of July by Ronald Kovic. At the very least you can make a case to touch on each point that have been laid out for us. For this paper I will evaluate how Kovic adjusted back to civilian life, not just as a veteran, but one who very literally gave up three-fourths of his body for his country. I will also analyze how Kovic dealt with his experiences involving sexuality and how a sense of community helped Kovic through even his most difficult of times. The books retails the story of Vietnam War Veteran Ronald Kovic. Kovic retails his American Story aptly named Born on The Fourth of July, a birthday he shares with American herself. Right after high school …show more content…

“I didn’t even have time to learn how to enjoy it and now it is gone, it is dead, it is as numb as the rest of me.” On numerous occasions Kovic writes just about the pure fact he isn’t able to use his penis to his full capabilities. Kovic goes on to say “I am left with the corpse, the living dead man, the man with the numb legs, the man in the wheelchair, the Easter Seal boy, the cripple, the sexlessman, the sexlessman, the man with the numb dick, the man who can’t make children,” and that he would give anything to be inside a woman again. In American culture the genetic passing of your genes is one of the biggest honors we perpetuate in our society. For women unable to bare children, it’s disheartening, for men who cannot procreate it’s emasculating. In his case he acknowledges his “want to,” in terms of establishing his sexuality, but he simply can’t. How much more American can you get than just simply being able to express yourself sexually. Kovic’s birth marks the first years of the Baby Boomer generation. In this era moving forward the expression of sexuality isn’t a forbidden staple anymore – at least in terms of being talked

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