Chapter 16

Killing the Dead

Brief Summary:

Throughout this chapter, there is conflict between Lebanon and

Israel, where Israel is constantly bombing Lebanon after an attack Lebanon
made on Israel
As well as the people causing the conflict, many innocent people
were being bombed and injured either physically or mentally
Who is involved?

Israel
Lebanon
Megan Stack
Causes of conflict:

Israel and Lebanon have been trying to take over each other for
years, there has always been a constant war between them
Nation state: A nation state is a geographical area that can be
identified as deriving its political legitimacy from serving as a sovereign
nation.
"The curse of the nation-state" can be used to describe
Israel/Palestine

Consequences of conflict:

Death of innocent people

Violence
How are we positioned?

As an audience, this chapter is very confronting as it shows us the

outcomes of conflict on even the innocent people and that no one can escape
it.
We are also inclined to think of the two sides in a war, on one side
the attackers who are shown to be the enemies and on the other side the
attacked who seem innocent. Through this chapter, the feelings we get show
us that both sides are as guilty as each other.
Quotes:
No matter what happens you will be shell shocked 224
Her body smelt like burnt meat, her baby hair Is scorched to her scalp, her
sausage arm is bleeding, her face is bruised. 228
I had to keep running because I was drowning in shame guilt 221
the two Mediterranean neighbours had been clawing back and forth for
years
217

You think I like it? I hate it. All the time fighting, fighting, fighting 235
The elderly and sick are strewn on the floor like crumbled paper 229

Big Ideas:
Who is the real enemy in war? Throughout the chapter, a real enemy
cannot be decided. Even though Stack is reporting whilst on the Lebanese
side, it is still evident that the Lebanese people have also been involved in
the aggressive side of war.
War has no survivors. No matter what happens, you will be shell-shocked
PG 224. Stack shows that damage due to war is inevitable, whether it be the
physical damage sustained as shown in the hospital holding hundreds of
people hurt by bombings or mental damage such as the unforgettable
experiences of war.
Supplementary:

Hiroshima bombing and after math. Over 10000 people died both
from the bombing and radiation sickness and have effects such as several
types of cancers, birth defects and brain damage. This show that war has
instant effects on people such as the deaths caused by the
explosion, but also the ongoing effects on both the mentally
damaged bombers and the injuries sustained by those caught in its
radius.