2. What is the central theme and the author's purpose in this text? How does the author develop and communicate this theme and purpose? Give specific evidence
from the text to support your answer. (10 points)
There's a condition in combat that occurs when a soldier is
completely stressed out and is "on the verge of a nervous
collapse." In World War I it was called "shell shock." Simple,
honest, direct language. Two syllables. Shell shock. It almost
sounds like the guns themselves...
.
[l]n World War II the same combat condition was called
"battle fatigue." Four syllables now; takes a little longer to say.
Doesn't seem to hurt as much
---
By the ... Korean War ... the very same condition was being
called "operational exhaustion." The phrase was up to eight
syllables now, and any last traces of humanity had been
completely squeezed out of it.
Then ... we got into Vietnam, and, thanks to the deceptions
surrounding that war, it's no surprise that the very same
condition was referred to as "post-traumatic stress disorder."
Still eight syllables, but we've added a hyphen, and the pain is
completely buried under jargon ... I'll bet if they had still been
calling it "shell shock," some of those Vietnam veterans might
have received the attention they needed.