Realistic Depiction Of War In Fallen Angels By Walter Dean Myers

When you think of war what do you think of? Do you think of crazy action scenes? Do you think of heroes? Well the book Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers is nothing like that. The novel is about a young boy named Richard Perry who is embarrassed about not going to college. His embarrassment causes him to enlist in the military and he ends up serving time in Vietnam. The novel touches on his experiences and bonds with his platoon while serving his time in Vietnam. Throughout the book, Myers shows a realistic depiction of war such as the graphic violence, the inner thoughts of a soldier, and how the platoon struggles to survive.
Throughout the novel, Myers utilizes many different ways to portray the realistic depiction of war. Graphic violence seen by the soldiers portrays that realism, and really makes you visualize what is happening in the novel. On many occasions

In this patrol Perry uses very descriptive words to describe what he saw on that patrol as they were going back to the base, “Bodies once alive, then lifeless, seemed to live again as the bullets tore into dead flesh and made it dance in the afternoon sun” (Myers 260). This quote really makes you visualize how graphic and violent the war actually is. Another realistic depiction of the war is how Richie questions the war greatly. All through the novel he questions why they are there, or if they are the good guys. In the story they go to villages to help and aid the people. They also do it so the people like them, “They were supposed to think we were the good guys. That bothered me a little. I didn’t like having to convince anybody that I was the good guy. That was where we were supposed to start from” (Myers 112). As one can see Richie is very bothered at the idea that they have to