Fallen Angels By Walter Dean Myers Essay Example

Walter Dean Myers is a famous American writer of children’s book. Myers is known for his young adult literature, which was several times awarded with Coretta Scott King Award. This prize is one of the most important awards for African-American writers. Unlike all the other books, his novel Fallen Angels is considered to have adult language and hyper realistic details regarding the Vietnam War. The book belongs to one of the most often challenged books during the previous two decades. This means that there were some restrictions and attempts by different groups and organizations with the aim to prevent this book from being read by common audience including pupils and students.
The main character of the Fallen Angels is an ordinary black seventeen-year old teenager Richie Perry. After the school graduation he decides to enlist in the army. His father left the family many years ago and his mother become an alcoholic. Therefore, Richie does not have money for college. Furthermore, he needs to support his younger brother Kenny. Enlistment for Richie is a chance to earn some money for him as well as the chance to get rid of his Harlem childhood. Everybody in the neighborhood thought he would join college, but he went to army to “get away from all the questions” (Myers 15). Richie is young and naïve. He is full of romantic stereotypes regarding the war. He also believes in rumors about the very end of the war. Besides, his knee was injured during the training. This note in medical profile should ensure him secure place.
Yet, he arrives in Chu Lai, where his camp is based. He becomes more and more disillusioned about the war. At the camp he meets his new friends Pewee Gates and Jenkins. Both are newbies as well as Richie. Their sergeant lies that it is a safe area. Jenkins is killed shortly after. Perry faces the selfishness of his commanders. He also doubts on morality of war. Richie becomes unsure whether the Americans are “good guys” and whether it makes sense to participate in war actions (Myers 122). Then he gets wounded and transported to the hospital. This time is peaceful and joyful for the character. After coming back to the squad, Richie encounters another problem. His new sergeant is racist. Soon he is killed and replaced by one of the soldiers, Brunner. He evolves his team into a dangerous mission, which leaves both Pewee and Riche wounded. These wounds become their pass to come back home. Both characters understand that the war changed them drastically.
The novel has a lot of symbols, which help to understand the motifs and actions of the characters. The most important symbol is actually hidden behind the title of the book. Fallen angels is a novel about losing the innocence and identity. The main character tries to escape from all his problems and finds oneself even in the bigger trouble. The war turns out to be a cruel and senseless. It is organized and supported by selfish people, who chase after the promotion and fame. And the real active participants and heroes are “angel warriors,” who “aren’t old enough to vote” (Myers 44). They are not eligible to choose the democracy but they can die fighting for it. Many of these angels will fall on the ground and never stand up. And all of them are going to lose their innocence and their dreams.
Walter Dean Myers wrote a complicated and hard-to-read book for teenagers. It is cruel and it refers to events that became just a page in the history. However, this book is necessary to read. Because it is about maturity and the way a person gets mature. This way is usually hard but inevitable. No one can stay a child for the whole life. The book is also about the losing of illusions of youth, which happens to everybody. This book is about friendship and its importance. It is about searching of identity and escapism, an attempt to postpone the decision of growing up. The book is cruel and realistic. But its realism should demonstrate that the war is unacceptable and should not be the reason for maturity in any generation. Wars should be left behind forever.

Works Cited

Myers, Walter D. Fallen angels. New York: Scholastic Inc, 1988.