Johnny Has His Gun Perception of War Johnny Has Gun The book Johnny Has Gun by Dalton Trumbo has totally changed my perception of war. Before reading this book I was in favor of war whenever necessary. But now I realize that war should be the last resort used because of all the repercussions that occur. This book is set during the First World War and at that time people thought that war was a duty, noble and fascinating. But in reality it wasn't like that at all. Unfortunately war has and will always be part of our culture due to disagreements between nations. As a society we have not reached the point where we can resolve disputes without bloodshed. When we finally do, the world will be a much better place to live in because it will be more peaceful. Young men who fought in wars were told their entire lives that it was their duty to fight for their country. As they grew up, their families and communities instilled in them that a real man fights for his country. When a young man returned from war he was finally treated like a man. They believed that killing others and putting your life on the line for your country made you a man. This is exactly what happened to Joe, he was told this was what he was born to do. So he believed everyone and fought in a war he had never believed in. Most of the young men sent to war were only in their late teens or early twenties. Even a young man who had not fought in the war was looked down upon because everyone thought he was afraid. In society during World War I almost the entire country supported the war because they had grown up learning that war was not a bad thing, but rather a necessity. Today our society is no longer like this, because war is now considered meaningless. Now our society is more open and people are able to express their opinions without repercussions. Now there are also many anti-war groups and coalitions that oppose any war in general. Unfortunately at the time the book was published there were few groups lobbying to stop the war. Fighting for your country was perceived by many as a noble thing at the time, but there was nothing noble about what happened to Joe Bonham. When he was sent to fight in World War I, he was full of dreams of victory and pride, but when he fought in the war he was seriously injured and everything changed. Joe then woke up in a hospital with no arms, legs or face. What happened was the worst possible outcome that could have happened to Joe because he became a vegetable. Once he lost his limbs he no longer had any dignity because he could no longer interact with other human beings. The author's idea was the worst case scenario that could happen to a wounded soldier. The description of his injuries gave the reader a picture of what it would be like to live without legs, arms, or face. It was a creepy thought that helped personalize the story by making the reader feel bad for the main character. At the time, many considered fighting in war to be noble, but for most soldiers it was anything but noble. Many times television programs, films and books had glamorized war, but that was not the truth. This book showed the harsh reality of war that most people didn't know existed at the time. War is something no man should ever hope for, but young men were told that it was glorious to fight for your country. The reality is that they put their lives at risk every day.