Good Bartle’s Character Development In Kevin Power’s “The Yellow Birds” Essay Example

The “Yellow Birds” by Kevin Powers chronicles a story of friendship, loss, guilt and redemption. It features the 21-year old narrator in the character of Private John Bartle who reminisces the past when he was fighting a bloody war in Al Tafar, Iraq. Bartle had undergone dangerous circumstances and life-changing ordeals that shaped the changes in his character and illicited meaningful realizations. His brutal experiences in Al Tafar have changed his perspective about the meaning of war and made him discover more of himself.
The most painful lesson that he learns is that war makes them powerless. At the beginning of the novel, he made a promise to Murphy’s mother that he will protect his son by all possible means. The problem is that he was only one man, and war is a big enemy. Unlike his initial belief that he can save his friend because he is in control of their destiny, Murphy’s death made him realize that soldiers have no control over their lives during war.
In the first pages of the novel, Powers uses personification in Bartle’s dialogue that goes “the war tried to kill us in spring”. (Powers p.1) Bartle did not say that the guns and ammunition of their enemies are trying to kill them. Instead, he treats “war” as a person who is responsible for putting their life in certain danger. Through this passage, Bartle realizes that promising Murphy’s mother to bring back his son home and alive is wrong. He has no power to control Murphy’s destiny or even his own. He learns that only chance and a great deal of luck has the power to save them.
The second thing that he learns from his experience in Al Tafar is the harsh reality that death is inevitable in war. This realization is evident in Bartle’s dialogue, “we thought if we remained ordinary, we would not die.” (Powers p.12) This line implies that he was able to finally recognize his mistaken philosophy that there are exceptions in war. Because the truth is, everyone can die. Bombs are made for everyone. He can not protect anybody because the exhausting and extensive military trainings that they have undergone are no match to the destructive power of war. Bartle learns that life in war is random; he or a fellow comrade could die anytime even when they possess utter vigilance.
Before Bartle joined the army, he holds romantic views about war. He believes that life as a soldier needs no elaboration; it’s easy because the higher officers will direct him on who he should be. He imagined that after finishing their work, they would sleep soundly, free of regret or worries. But the realities of the bloody encounter in Al Tafar have challenged his long held belief. He discovers that the physical fatigue and mental torture brought by war will give them sleepless nights. It will give them nightmares and memories that will linger even after the end of their military duty.
Another lesson that he learned is that his retirement from duty is not an effective cure for the wounds caused by war. Retirement does not offer a sweet escape. Rather, it leads to the path of unbearable and lasting memory of a fallen friend whom he promised to protect. A memory of his broken promise. What makes the wounds too difficult to cure is because war does not only destroy the body; it also ruins the soldier’s spirit. Even after he left the military, his memories of war is a frequent visitor.
His service in the military did not only alter his view about the true meaning of war. It also urged him to discover more of himself. One important thing that he finds out about his character is that he can not stand living in guilt for a long time. He ultimately accepts that only the truth will set him free. When he and Sterling dumped Murphy’s body in Tigris River, they had the noble intention of protecting Murphy’s mother from grief and pain of seeing his son dead, tortured. and mutilated. However, he learns that keeping it a secret will not give him peace and the secret will forever haunt his life. He realizes that the initial step towards letting go of his guilt is through confession.
Bartle also finds out that healing is a process. He will not forget about Murphy’s death instantly and the crime that he and Sterling did in order to save Murphy’s mother from witnessing the disheartening condition of her dead son will visit his memory once in a while. In addition, geography will not catalyse the healing process. He discovers that even if he confines himself in distant mountains, Murphy’s memory will still follow him- unless he learns to forgive himself.

Work Cited

Powers, Kevin. The Yellow Birds: A Novel. Back Bay Books, 2013. Print.