 Sgt. Elias and Sgt. Barnes Just as Chris and the platoon are divided between Elias and Barnes, viewers also feel somewhat divided. You feel compelled to side with Elias because he is jaded and righteous and seems to care about his men, but you can't help but admire Barnes' hardiness, his determination to win the war and ability to survive.
After our class discussion about allegory, the Christ figure and Machiavelli, as well as the inability of humans to be purely good or evil, you understand that this is a decision that is not as easy as one might hope. Imagine that you are a soldier in this platoon. Who do you follow, Sgt. Barnes or Sgt. Elias? Take into consideration all factors: survival, morality, reality of the war environment, psychological effects of the war, constant extreme stress, and any other factors that would affect your decision. Explain your decision in a thoughtful and well supported blog entry. PLEASE ADD WORD COUNT AT END OF EACH BLOG ENTRY! Primary Blog Entry Expectations (respond to the prompt above): 200-250 words, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the assigned "pen name" given to you in class. Secondary Blog Entry Expectations (read everyone's first responses, select two that interest you, and respond to their ideas): 100-150 words EACH, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the assigned "pen name" given to you in class. (3 total blog entries for this assignment)
Student #13
3/25/2014 06:57:17 am
If I’m a soldier in the Platoon movie, I’ll follow Sgt.Elias because he is more of caring his teammate than winning the war or survive. He knew that when you in the war, you already put your life on the line and whether or not you will get hurt or die in the war. If I’m in the war, I’ll do the same thing as Sgt. Elias did, because your teammate is like your family, your supporter, and your motivation to win the war. If you in the war, and all you care about winning and survive, don’t care about your teammate, you’ll be more likely lost than win. I would rather die in the war by trying to save my teammate than win the war by losing many teammates. We understand that Barnes try to get his man stay focus in the war and show the enemies that they are fearless. There is one thing Barnes didn’t understand is that if he keeps using the power of his men to win the war, the enemy will do the same back to him. Sgt. Elias is different, he using his brain to take care of his teammate and winning the war at the same time. So imaging that your teammate like a rope for you to climb up to the mountain, if you take care of the rope well, it will give you a lot support to climb up to the mountain. If you don’t even care if the rope is good or treat it well, you will be more likely fall down when you are trying to climb.
Student 21
3/29/2014 07:53:16 am
I like how you brought up how Sgt. Elias brings a sense of family and friendship to the platoon. I agree that if you feel you are among people who you truly care about, then you will do whatever it takes to get them through the war alive. While Barnes’s use of force and tactics is definitely effective, Elias’s method of building up trust and bonds among the soldiers is, in my opinion, even more effective. I also liked how you compared friendship among the members of the platoon to a rope. If companionship is strong, you can use it like a rope to overcome many challenges.
Student #13
3/29/2014 11:07:00 am
The good thing is this is just a movie; imaging if we in the real war and have this two Sgt. with us would be tough to deal with. It’s really sad how in the end Sgt.Barnes shot Sgt.Elias to hide his guilty. Just realize that in real life, we do face this situation before, for example like your parent. One of your parents is really strict that doesn’t let you go anywhere and have really strict rules, while other let you have freedom to do whatever you want. But after all, they both just trying to do something that they think it is best for you in their personal way.
24
3/29/2014 02:56:37 pm
I had not considered the fact that one has already put their life on their line for their country and whether one dies or not was as important as one's morals. I only focused on the scenario of one returning "alive" after war. I do agree and understand where you're reasoning is coming from and it's very parallel with mine. I do believe that if you are to fight with somebody day in and day out, you form close bonds that can almost never be broken even after the war. It's because one literally entrusts their very life to the person right next to them. You're analogy towards the rope for was very satisfying. It also proves true that things break regardless but whatever you take care of usually tends to last longer and becomes more beneficial to you in the long run.
18
3/30/2014 04:30:06 am
I agree from which side your coming from I didn’t really see it as that but rather than just winning the war and surviving the why I was more on the Barnes side but you right there more to a war than just have teammates and winning you want to get to know your platoon you want to be able to build that bond and not so much just war and dyeing you always want to think before you do because it can change the way thing come out and can also be a great strategy for you surviving this war and making it out alive.(106)
Student 8
3/30/2014 12:43:59 pm
I totally agree with you about citing with Sergeant Elias. He cares a lot about his teammates. If I was a soldier at this platoon, I would rather join Elias as well. Because in the long run, I would know that I have a whole team who acts as my immediate family and also cares about the war as well. All Sergeant Barnes cares about is winning. He does have any bond with his teammates nor cares about their outcomes compared to Elias. I would rather follow Elias and die with honor than follow Barnes and regret about the things I did to survive. (Word Count 108).
Student 5
3/30/2014 12:52:24 pm
I agree with your statements of choosing Sgt. Elias over Sgt. Barnes. I can relate to following Sgt. Elias for his sense of his men as a community; a family that supports each other in battle than just relying on tactics and brute force. Elias’s method is understandable and more humane than the actions that Sgt. Barnes had showcase during the war. Your comparison between friendship and a rope was fascinating since they completely correlate with one another. While Sgt. Barnes’s tactics, showcase of the term “fearless” to their enemies, and use of his men showed effective results, but can lead to disasters more frequently.
student 5
3/30/2014 01:11:36 pm
Word Count: 105
Student27
3/30/2014 02:12:55 pm
I agree with you that Sgt. Elias is the right person for a leader in war. Sgt. Elias is defiantly much smarter and way better in using his brain to get through certain situations during this war. Elias is much better at making his group of men feel better while at war. Like you said when somebody is at war they expect they are going to die, but hope for it not to happen, so them being with a man who is pushing you through and being way to fast and bossy isn’t too important. The more important thing to keep in mind while with your leader is if they are more set for the job in making his men get from point to point during the war.
student 9
3/30/2014 03:27:57 pm
I defiantly side with you that Sgt. Elias is a better fit to be a leader rather than Sgt. Barnes. One may consider him to be smart because he uses his brain to get through certain situations rapidly. Student 13 I liked how you compared compassion to the rope. I feel as if you helped get your point across with that statement. I think that’s what makes him so appealing is because he is a man of morals, and most of us are too. But the real question is would we be if we were placed in that situation would we still be? If Sgt. Elias was a moral man and all his people died instantly I feel like a lot of our perspectives would change. ( word count 126)
Student 21
3/28/2014 02:59:42 am
If I was a soldier in this platoon, I would follow Sgt. Elias. He is an experienced soldier and a man of morals. While he may not have Barnes’s passion to keep both his men and himself alive at all costs, it is clear that he does care about all the men in the platoon. While I admit that following Sgt. Barnes would give me a greater chance of getting out of the war alive, it would come at a cost. His actions are cold and calculated, to the point that he even shoots Elias in an attempt to unite the platoon under himself. Following Barnes would mean I would have to accept his decisions and actions, no matter how extreme they may be. Barnes would probably get me out of the war alive, but I don’t think I’d be able to live with myself if I did survive. While burning down a village, killing some of its people, and leaving the elderly residents homeless (without knowing whether or not they are supplying the enemy) may improve my chances of survival, the fact that I was capable of doing or allowing such a thing would weigh on my conscious forever. Because of this, I would much rather follow Sgt. Elias’s example. Even though this could spell my death, I would die knowing that I went through hell and still did what I believed to be right.
Student #13
3/28/2014 04:12:03 am
I totally agree with you about follow Sgt. Elias. I agree with you about Barnes that follow him could get you out of the war alive, but you have to follow his cold command and deal with his strict rules. It’s really interesting how if you in the war with a team that have two different Sgt. With different personality. Follow Sgt.Elias can give you more of team work and save your teammate. It would be hard for us to deal with both of them in the war, because one of them give you an order and other try to save you away from it by give you another order. But in the end, both them just trying to do something that they believe in that is best for team.
24
3/29/2014 03:04:28 pm
I too would follow Elias but I disagree with you about him not being a man of passion. He has been in the war for three years so I’m sure he's figured out some tricks or developed skills to keep his men and himself alive without unnecessary violence and recklessness. I don't think that Elias passion has vanished but rather has been transferred to a new focus. He himself said that he did not believe in what he was doing anymore but I think he believed in keeping his men alive and that is why he continues to fight so hard. I also agree that Barnes goal is to return home from the war with as many men as possible and he believes that is not easily achieved with a divided platoon. I too would have conflicts with Barnes and myself If I had to follow Barnes orders almost dictator like even if it gave me a greater chance at survival. I could never kill a fellow comrade or rather I wouldn't do it; and just like you I believe that a clean conscious is what would guide me through the war.
Student 11
3/30/2014 11:12:34 am
I completely understand where you are coming from when you say that you would chose to follow Sgt. Elias of Sgt. Barnes, if you were a soldier in the movie Platoon. However, i disagree with you. In making my decision, I did take into consideration the collection of good morals that Sgt. Elias possess, but they did not out way life. This may appear to be cruel to you, but in being a soldier, I would have to come to the realization and understanding that when in battle I will have to make sacrifices in order to remain alive.
Student 5
3/30/2014 01:10:12 pm
I agree with what you say about your choice and reasons. Your statements about Sgt. Barnes and Elias were highly accurate and valid. While both of us have similar reasons and choices of following 1 out of the 2 sergeants, we have different styles and ways to state our reasons and opinions. I wouldn’t want to follow a sergeant that can create extreme orders that can put us in more danger when trying to survive from the war and achieve victory. I’d rather follow Sgt. Elias, who is willing to try to unite his Platoon and facing the obstacles from the battle as a family. Sgt. Elias’s method of creating a strong friendship between his men can be more beneficial than just a method to staying alive at all costs with no sort of limit.
Student10
3/30/2014 04:38:16 pm
I agree with you with the fact that you said Sgt. Barnes will get you alive but you will still be on Elias side. It is truw Elias is a man of morals, and also knows what he's doing by not killing innocent people anyhow unlike Barnes. All Barnes has in mind is winning the war and not thinking about the lives of the elderly and also leaving them homeless which was very sad. He is a cold hearted man. Sticking with Barnes will end you loosing your life because he doesnt care what you feel or about your feelings, whatever he says is final.
Student !5
4/2/2014 12:58:34 am
Student 21, your point is clearly stated I agree with you every step of the way. You said that you would not be able to live with yourself after the war if you had to do what Barnes and I totally understand. Only a few people would rather die than to return home living a lie, and I understand the concept of all this. The other question is, does anyone think of these after act consequences when they are in such a difficult situation? Because even though I choose to follow Elias, if I was in that war and seeing my life flash before my eyes I don’t know rather real decision that I would really choose and the after effect of it all.
24
3/29/2014 02:46:51 pm
24
3/29/2014 02:47:26 pm
373
18
3/30/2014 04:35:44 am
I agree the Elias would be the better Sgt to follow in this war I can really see were your coming from that it would be hard to chose between the two and to be on the safe it would be better to go with Elias because if figure out other ways on how not to get his men killed that is that last thing he wants to happen so his great mind and strategy really help in the war because with that saying he could bring back more men home than Barnes does and maybe even win the battle in the long run.
Student 19
3/30/2014 06:00:48 am
I agree with you because I would also follow Sergeant Elias for the same reasons. Sgt. Elias is a man of faith and morals, along with being able to trust him. I am pretty sure if I were to follow Sgt. Barns he would not care if I would have died, he would not have cared if I had a family back home, he would not have cared if he killed me himself. Because of this I would never lay my life in his filthy hands. This way Sgt. Barns acts disgust me, along with how he is fine with killing innocent people who are not in the war. He does whatever he wants and never listens to authority.
Student 2
3/30/2014 07:35:46 am
I agree with you on following Sgt. Elias than Barnes even though Barnes is more experiences and would never afraid of a firefight. I like the way Elias guide his squad and how he treat them compare to Barnes. Barnes doesn’t really care about who he kills even if they are innocence people as long as they look like the enemy and talk like the enemy, he would shoot first, ask questions later. Elias in the other hand, knows what is right from wrong. He would only kill if he know that the people are the correct enemy or is fire upon first. I like how Elias would stay close with his squad by talking with them and making them stay humane. Words: 122
student 9
3/30/2014 03:36:46 pm
Student 24 I liked how you explained that it was not easy for you to come to a conclusion. As it was not easy for me to come to a conclusion either. Elias definitely appears to be fit for the leader role then Barnes is. My personal belief is that it is immoral to kill innocent people like Barnes did. The only exception of this is if your life is on the line. “You do not provoke but react when you are provoked” is a very powerful statement. I also agree with what you said, Elias has other goals for his men besides winning. He wants them to feel useful. I think that’s very important. Words: 115
Sutdent 28
3/30/2014 04:49:25 pm
I disagree with you choosing Sgt. Elias over Sgt. Barnes because Sgt. Elias is too soft as a person. He wouldn't be able to handle the stress of leading his men into victory. Sgt. Barnes is the only person that can guarantee victory for his men and himself. Elias is the type of person who has to many morals to have a part in this war because he thinks everything Sgt. Barnes does is wrong. I understand Sgt. Elias is a man of his morals but he is not around to stop anything Sgt. Barnes does. Sgt. Barnes is the right option in the end. This is the reason why you should have chose Sgt. Barnes.(Word Count 116)
18
3/30/2014 04:24:19 am
If I were in platoon it would be with st. Barnes because he the only one there with the most experience and is most known for bringing his troops to victory he may have his harsh ways but this is what got him through the war he has been shot 7 times and have survived every time and as the troops say he never dies he can’t be killed I rather follow him because he most likely greatened to take me in this war and out alive. St, Elias is good as well but he doesn’t have the great experience that barns has he may be smart and knows his tactics but hasn’t been through as much as Barnes has been he basically a vet he never gives up and always manages to bring his platoon out of any situation were with Elias your not sure if you will make is back were with Barnes everyone know you have a greater chance but has been through it all he has survived through it all nothing is able to stop him I rather be with someone who I know has all that history than one who does not because your odds are greater to survive the war.(206)
Student 19
3/30/2014 06:07:08 am
I disagree with you because if I were to follow Sgt. Barns he would not care about anyone. The way Sgt. Barns acts disgust me, along with how he is fine with killing innocent people who are not in the war. He does whatever he wants and never listens to authority. Yes you have a more chance of surviving with Sgt. Barns, but I would never want that type of blood on my hands. If I were to follow Sgt. Elias I would not go around killing innocent people. Like I have said in previous comments I, as well is a person of faith and morals.
Student 2
3/30/2014 07:52:07 am
I can agree with you on some parts of siding with Barnes more so than Elias. I like the way you put that Barnes give you a better chance of surviving. This is only true if I had a would want to continue living just to get back home and for something important. If you want to be the best soldier for a cause that is for your country, you would follow someone who is the better soldier and have the most experience in this case would be Barnes. I also like they way Barnes is known for bringing his troop to victory. This is because if I want to be a soldier and just doing it just for my country, I would want to win most of the battle for my country than maintaining my personal beliefs. Winning more battles and weakening the enemy is more important so that more troop wouldn't be sent to war and die like the rest in the beginning in the war like how the turning point in world war 2. Words: 177
Student 11
3/30/2014 11:05:04 am
I agree with you and your decision to follow or stick with Sgt. Barnes if you were a soldier in Platoon. Based on Sgt. Barnes history it is clear that he has what it takes in order to survive at war. Like you said, he was shot seven times and he still remains alive. Seven times is definitely not just a coincidence or luck. He is a true warrior! I do understand that his morals my not all be there and he indulges in some cruel action but, in following him I would feel more secure about my chances of making it back home alive.
twenty-five
3/30/2014 11:47:57 am
Barnes does seem like a great leader and has the experience that you look for in one but I think the war has definitely got to him because he has gone crazy. When they found one of there men dead he attacked the nearest village to get his revenge. I think that his angry blinds him into doing wrong things. Killing people that aren't even apart of the enemy is not ok. He even killed his own soldier. I wouldn't want to follow him because if he didn't like me who knows if he would kill me too.
Student 8
3/30/2014 01:27:14 pm
I definitely agree with your choice about joining Sergeant Barnes. Yes, he has some previous skills in conquering his enemies at the battle fields, but does he cares actually about his teammates? NO? As a soldier at the battle fields, you have equal chance or either dying or surviving. So you might as well join the leader who cares about both winning and surviving. Following Barnes have some advantages and disadvantages as well. Barnes doesn’t show any empathy nor sympathy for his soldiers. It could be possible that if he didn’t like a team mate or if anybody questioned his rules, he might end up killing the person just like what he did to Elias. (Word Count 115)
Student14
3/30/2014 02:57:05 pm
I do agree with you when you say Sgt. Barnes has more experience than Sgt. Elias. The strategies he has for his men may be harsh but if that is the only way to survive. They are soldiers and need to be ready for whatever battles may arise. I also agree when you say Sgt. Barnes tries his possible best to help his platoon out of any situation. Sgt. Elias on the other hand is known to be a man of morals who tries to protect his men rather than himself. Teamwork sure does help but sometimes you need to be able to fight for your own survival.
Student 21
3/30/2014 03:15:30 pm
While I think the reasons you give for following Sgt. Barnes are valid, there are consequences for doing so. Think about how Barnes seeks revenge, even on innocents. Would you be okay with following him after he burns down a village that housed women, children, and the elderly, knowing that you supported him? He was almost court marshalled for doing so, which should be evidence enough to know that Barnes is a ruthless and cold individual. Personally, I’d rather take my chances following Sgt. Elias. He is almost as experienced as Barnes, and has what Barnes lacks: a sense of right and wrong. If you follow Barnes your life may remain intact, but the same cannot be said for your morals, which are, in my opinion, more important.
Student 16
3/30/2014 03:20:46 pm
I disagree with you, why follow Sgt. Barnes when you can follow the Green Goblin, I mean Sgt. Elias? Yes he may have the most experience, but brute force can only take you so far, brains over brawn. Being shot and still being able to survive doesn’t make you mother loving Invincible, it just means that he has been endowed with great luck and that it won’t go on forever. Theoretically if you were a soldier under Sgt. Barnes’ command and were to get wounded, you would just be dead-weight and he would still force you to carry on with a less chance of surviving. For example like Junior and his feet.
Student 28
3/30/2014 04:39:33 pm
I totally agree with that statement that Sgt. Barnes is the right choice to chose because as student number 18 said that Sgt. Barnes has the most experience and his most known for sending his troops to victory. He also as a bonus got shot seven times and survived without leaving the war. Sgt. Elias is not the person to bring his men home since he couldn't bring himself home. That wasn't his fault though. Sgt. Barnes has a lot of good tactics that can make his men able to leave the war without getting hurt. He is also respected by a lot of people even people that are higher in rank then him. He orders the Lt. around. This is why I agree. (Word Count 124)
student 15
4/2/2014 01:07:14 am
Student 18, looking into your reason for choosing Barnes is a very logical reason and I agree with you. Being in a war that makes you scared out of your pants, you’re going to want to shelter to run to when you feel as if you’re not going to make and you want to make it. Sergeant Barnes is that shelter you’re going to run to. The reason you’re going to run to that shelter is because you have faith in it, because you have seen or rather heard about the amount of storms that passed through it and it is still standing. I agree with your concept of it all. But they are also other factors that should maybe be considered as well.
18
3/30/2014 04:25:09 am
Sgt*
Student 19
3/30/2014 05:53:44 am
If I were in the movie Platoon, I would follow Sergeant Elias because he is a man of faith and morals. Even though there is not a very high chance of surviving with Sgt. Elias at least you would be dying with a good heart. The soldiers who follow Sergeant Barns have no heart and no remorse. They do whatever they please without thinking who they are hey hurting. Sgt. Barn’s men do not care about anyone except for themselves. They are unaware of how other people may feel, to them other individuals’ pain gives them joy. They also just follow in Sgt. Barns footsteps to stay alive. They all act like immature kids. As of for Sgt. Elias, his men does not do any of those things that I have listed above. This shows you that these soldiers who are supposed to be a team are separated into two groups, the good and the bad. Sgt. Elias would be a role model to me because I am also a person of faith and morals. I was raised that way and going off to a war should not change that because of what your eyes has seen. ELIAS: yeah. Now… (pause) What happened today’s just the beginning. We’re gonna lose this war. Sgt. Elias knows this because of the separation.
twenty-five
3/30/2014 11:15:59 am
I'm not really a man of faith but I am a man of morals. I completely agree with you on following Sgt. Elias. I think that Banes is kind of crazy. I think he let the war get to his head because if it's not his men he doesn't care if they die or stay alive. I think he'd kill a snail if it was in his way. Barnes has lost all of his morals and needs to take a break from this war because his brain needs some rest.
Student 2
3/30/2014 07:24:32 am
If I was a soldier in the platoon, I had a choice to follow a sergeant. Between Sgt. Barnes and Sgt. Elias, I would follow Sgt. Elias most so than Sgt. Barnes because Elias cares about his soldiers. He put his personal experiences from early on in the war so that it would not be the same to his new squad. Comparing to Barnes, Elias is more about helping his fellow soldier, bringing the best in the war by knowing what is right from wrong, and creating a bond with his squad. Barnes had raid a village and kill an innocence woman due to the death of a comrade and when Elias stop him from killing the rest, Elias knew that it wasn’t right to do so cause they were not the Vietcong. His way of leading help his squad be closer together and knowing how to protect one another from different situations. He would go up to the new soldiers in his squad to fix up their equipment that would be carried so that they could know what they would need next time when traveling to a different location. I would not survive through the war without Elias’ guidance in staying humane and rational to others. Words: 207
Student #4
3/30/2014 09:15:30 am
If I was a member of the platoon, I would definitely follow Sgt. Elias over Barnes. Elias is there to get what needs to be done and gets out, and Barnes feels like basically doing whatever he wants and runs wild and some of the men are like that too. Elias has a sense of friendship as well as leadership. As we talked about in class, he's a very moral person and a "Christ" figure. He knows that there's a high possibility of getting killed, and if I was a soldier I would clearly know that as well so you have to take the chance of not surviving to do what you entered the war to do. Nobody wants to die, but why enlist in the army if you don't realize the possibility of dying? In my mind Elias is a true soldier compared to Barnes. Elias would do anything for his men, but would also do anything for his country and that's why he was "sacrificed" in the movie. Barnes killed one of his own men, and that one example shows that he isn't a 'true soldier'.
Student 11
3/30/2014 10:58:33 am
As much as I would love to say that i would follow Sgt. Elias, due to the conditions of the environment that these soldiers are residing in, I feel as if I would choose Sgt. Barnes. Although I know and understand that Sgt. Elias is a Christ like figure; a man with morals, integrity, and sympathy; I don't think that his way would aid my effort in surviving. Sgt. Barnes truly is a cruel man, that does what he has to do showing and expressing absolutely no remorse and no empathy. I know that this is wrong, but a humans natural instinct is to survive. Personally the thought of dying is scary, especially in a war. Out on the battle field the only thing I would be thinking about is that moment when I am able to go home and reunite with my family. Being a soldier called for making sacrifices. And, as cruel as this may sound, it's your life or the other guys, and the choice must be made. In following Barnes, i know that I will probably end up indulging in some behavior that I would necessarily like or will later on grow to regret, but I will still be alive. It is very common for soldiers to have PTSD after participating in a war, because of all the cruel things that they participate in while at battle. When going into war, soldiers expect to do whatever it takes to survive and fight for what they believe in, and that is just what I would do. War is a life and death situation, and I would follow Sgt. Barnes, since his guidance is more fit towards survival.
Student27
3/30/2014 02:20:52 pm
I disagree with you when you say that Sgt. Barnes is a better person for this war situation. I understand that you want to get out of this war scene as soon as possible, but wouldn’t you rather get out with less injuries and being less tired. Barnes does anything to get his men through this war even if it’s to torture one of his men just to get him moving like in the part where Barnes was going to make a centipede go into his own soldier’s pants without letting his soldier relax a little. Barnes is way too rough against the people he works with and can sometimes go overboard with his ideas when trying to achieve something even if it means he has to break the rules.
student 22
3/30/2014 03:21:02 pm
I would have to disagree with you. You are not choosing the right person since Barnes wouldn't really care if you die or not. He is just trying to win this war, he is not going to do what is right, he is really selfish. He only cares about himself or just his closest "friends" in this case the rednecks. Because they would not think every time they would have to fight, they didn't care if the people were innocent or not, they would just kill every single person that they found having no moral or any of compassion for the people that they killed.
Student 8
3/30/2014 12:31:36 pm
If I was a soldier and had to choose between Sergeant Barnes and Elias, I would definitely chose Sergeant Elias over Barnes. Though Sergeant Barnes has some good war strategies and techniques to fight his enemies, he doesn’t really care about his teammates. All he cares about is winning. Sergeant Elias on the other hand, can be considered as a family man or a father figures. He has some strategies as well but he does care for his teammates. An example would be when Chris Taylor took carried many items with him whiles they were traveling, Sergeant Elias was the one to confront him and help him out as well. Joining Sergeant Barnes team doesn’t really mean that you are guaranteed to survive. Maybe he was the one to absorb seven bullets and still survive. This might not happen to exactly everybody in his team. Sergeant Elias cares a lot about his soldiers as well as the war. He knows that if the soldiers unite as a team, they have a higher chance of winning against their enemies. I wouldn’t hesitate to join Sergeant Barnes because, I will still have the sense that somebody still cares for me and even if I die, I die with honor and love from my teammates. (Word Count 212)
Student14
3/30/2014 02:37:40 pm
I totally agree with you when you say Sgt. Elias is a man of morals and cares about his man. However, you need to understand that being on the battle field is all about fighting to survive and it’s one man for himself even though you are all teammates. You need to fight for your own survival. You didn’t come to the battle field with anybody so when just as when you die you die alone. The part where you talk about him taking seven bullets and not dying should tell you that he is a man who knows what to do in order to survive and maybe can help his men fight and also survive.
Student 5
3/30/2014 12:35:17 pm
As a soldier in the Platoon, I would follow Sgt. Elias for his more compassion towards his men than just mainly focusing on survival. While following Sgt. Barnes can result to having a better chance of surviving, there come more negative impacts of having a sergeant with hardiness and determining characteristics than one that shows a sense of attachments with their fellow men. Many factors from the war can affect each sergeant, which also effects my decision in choosing a sergeant to follow. Based on my beliefs, I feel that Sgt. Elias can be able to keep his act together and remain humane unlike Sgt. Barnes. In war, there’s constant extreme stress when having to keep the soldiers together and getting everyone to survive for these sergeants. For Sgt. Elias, I have a large confidence that he can cope with the stress and won’t let it control his personality in to the point of forgetting the needs of others. While being with Sgt. Barnes is a notable way to follow when wanting to survive, there’s a risk of not even being safe around him when he had already showcase his ruthless personality controlled by the effects of the war. I would at least rather follow someone who can still care for their men than just a person who you can’t have full trust on.
Student 5
3/30/2014 12:36:03 pm
(Word Count: 224)
twenty-five
3/30/2014 12:47:55 pm
In the movie Platoon, there are two sergeants that are completely different. Elias is the epitome of a good person, while Barnes is the hardcore person that everyone wants to be like. If I were in this platoon I would want to be on Elias's said because he still has morals and knows the difference of good and bad. Barnes is crazy. They say he'll do whatever he has to do to keep his men alive but he shot one of his men and left him to die. I think Elias would be more likely to keep me alive because he actually cares. I would be afraid that if Barnes didn’t like me that he would just let me die like he did to Elias. Elias is a Christ figure which means that he's there to look out for you and wouldn't let you die. He helped out Chris when he was carrying to much weight. Barnes just looked at him like he didn't belong there.
Student27
3/30/2014 02:02:05 pm
If I was in the movie “Platoon” I would most defiantly choose to be on Sgt. Elias’s side. Sgt. Elias seems to make his groups of men during this war feel as if they are family. When you are with Elias you already know that you’re in war and are expected to get the unexpected to happen to you. With Elias he gets things done the correct and safe way, while giving respect to all his men working under him. Your ability to survive will be a little less likely, but the job will get done correctly and friendly. When people work with Elias everything gets done great as a team, because he can tell you what to do in a direct and clear manner making it feel that everything completed was done as a team and everyone deserves the same respect. I would feel safer because I know I can trust Elias, because Sgt. Barnes is the kind of guy who would possibly backstab you when you least suspect it and your defense would be very open for the enemies. Elias gives you that feeling where you can always trust him no matter what situation and he always tries to give you the easiest part of the job.
Student 16
3/30/2014 03:07:30 pm
I agree with you most definitely, Team Elias all the way!!! Being serious now, uhm Sgt. Elias truly does make his fellow soldiers under him cooperate like a team. Work like a team and succeed like a team. My chance to survive would be less without following Sgt. Barnes, but at least I would have Elias who is like the father kind of figure who would guide me in the war. With such guidance and having a team that has my back, I know that surviving the war will be a most certain. I’d rather have guidance and learn to survive than follow someone who knows how to survive, but will disregard my survival.
student 26
3/31/2014 04:20:10 pm
YESSSSS team Elias !!!! Honestly I agree with you 100%. We all know that with sgt. Elias we might not survive, but who cares ! Just the fact that we died with dignity and love everything else shouldn't matter. Elias as a powerful a outlook in what he thinks is right for his team members. He might know that they might not all survive this war, but he gives his all no matter what. It's like family comes first then anything. With a soldier like Elias I would personally feel comfortable and respected. I would feel accomplishments and achievements. Elias is the kind of soldier you can trust, a soldier that will have your back no matter what and will take a bullet for you any day.
Student14
3/30/2014 02:06:52 pm
If I was a soldier in the platoon, as much as I would like to be on Sgt. Elias’ side because he is a man of morals, I will be on Sgt. Barnes’ side. In my opinion, in war a person’s morals are absent. Killing people in general is not morally correct. Sgt. Elias is portrayed as a Christ-like figure who only wants the best for his men. He puts his life on the line for his men. Watching the movie, he can be said to be the good guy or the “savior”. Sgt. Barnes on the other hand is portrayed as the bad guy or the “devil”. He is all about taking the best strategies to survive. One reason why I would be on his side is because he has survived a lot of deaths and he’s again all about doing everything possible to survive and leave the war camp alive. One may say that Sgt. Banes was wrong for killing Sgt. Elias which I somewhat agree and somewhat disagree with. I agree that it was inhuman and selfish of him to kill him just to have all the men in the platoon on his side. On the other hand one can argue that he did what he did just to be able to keep his status as the only many that can make decisions that will benefit his men and help them survive and take them out of the camp alive. For these reasons, Sgt. Barnes would be the best leadership to follow.
Student16
3/30/2014 02:26:08 pm
In the movie “Platoon” by Oliver Stone, if I were a soldier in the platoon I would most definitely follow Sgt. Elias. Elias is jaded and righteous and seems to care about his men more than Barnes. As we saw from the movie, Sgt. Elias helps out Taylor by guiding him in what to “hump” with him in order to be more equipped for the war. Either way, if I were a soldier in the platoon I would be as much experienced as Taylor in which I would need some guidance as a noob. Even if other soldiers preferred Sgt. Barnes, I would still follow Sgt. Elias. I don’t care if they admire Barnes' hardiness, his determination to win the war and ability to survive. There’s no “I” in team and it looks to me that Sgt. Barnes seems like the “Sink or Swim” type of guy without helping out his fellow soldiers. I mean it’s great that he’s more than qualified for the war, but if the other soldiers aren’t up to his skill level then they wouldn’t be as much help and therefore be most likely to be killed in the war. Elias just seems like the type of Sgt. Who would take time from his day to help out his fellow soldiers like Taylor for example.
student #22
3/30/2014 02:54:32 pm
If I was a soldier in the Platoon movie, I would choose to be with Sgt. Elias because he is more caring in every single way. He cares about his soldiers and he also cares about his job. I would obviously want to survive and also fight for my country but I am just a selfish person… I would rather survive than die for my country that is just how I am. The sergeant that would give me that security is Elias. He also had spiritual believe in Christ, which Barnes did not. Particularly I believe in God or Christ too… so this would make me follow Elias. He likes when things are done with justice, for example, when Barnes killed that woman, he fought him because he knew it was not right to do that because they have not done anything. Barnes had a really bad temper, but Elias did too, he just knew how to control it. Elias was also a really good soldier, he was fast, smart with his strategies and that’s how he kept most of his soldiers alive. He had a heart, because he always felt bad every time a soldier died. He had morals and that’s what actually what would make me follow him.
student10
3/30/2014 04:52:14 pm
I like the fact that you said you would die for your country in the war even though you want to be alive. Being with Barnes and staying alive will only hurt you in future when you stay thinking about the innocent people that you were killing for no reason. Elias was truely a God fearing man and he cared about his people unlike Barnes. Barnes did so wrong in killing that woman in the movie which made Elais fought him. Elias had a warm heart and thouhgt about people which makes it the more reason why I would want to be on his side.
student 9
3/30/2014 03:11:52 pm
If I was a solider in the platoon I would follow Sgt. Elis. When I watched the movie Platoon by Olive Stone I was compelled to side with him. Elis portrays to be me more caring as compared to his Sgt. Barnes. Although Barnes shows hardiness that’s not the primary factor you should consider when deciding who you want to follow. Barnes goes through all extend to show that his team his fearless and that they will win the war yet he lacks that compassion for his men. As a leader you need to be caring for your men. You should be able to establish a relationship with the people you are working hand and hand with. Almost like you are a family. During war time you depend one another to survive. There should be no enemy on your own team. Sgt. Elis is someone who provided motivation for his team mates. He sees his men as a sense of community. His method is more humane than Barnes. You cannot treat you fellow men like that and still demand respect. At a certain point someone will feel threaten so they will most likely end up rebelling. Not only does Sgt. Elis care for his men but he wins too.
Student 10
3/30/2014 04:16:54 pm
If I was a soldier in the movie "platoon", I would have been on Elias side because he cares about the rest of the soldiers and is also with a good heart. I see Barnes as a wicked soldier even though he's doing all he can to keep his soldiers alive. His actions would have let me be on his side because I wouldnt want to be killed by him or the soldiers we are fighting with. I say I wouldnt want to be killed by him bacause if he sees I'm not on his side but rather Elias, he might want to kill me like he did to Elias which was so wrong of him as a soldier because soldiers are supposed to protect each othet and not attacking one another. Barnes had no right whatsoever to kill Elias. Elias was a God fearing man who even put his life down for his people unlike Barnes. Barnes only cared about winning the war and nothing else. He wants to be known to have fought a good war and that he won. Elias also thought about winning the war but also made sure he wasn't endangering any of his soldiers life. At a point in the movie when Barnes met Elias, Elias smiled at him because he knew he had no problems with him because they all one soldiers but instead Barnes thought different and killed him.
student10
3/30/2014 04:21:44 pm
Word count240
Student 28
3/30/2014 04:29:13 pm
If I was a member of the platoon, in the movie called the Platoon I would follow Sgt. Barnes. I am a man of morals but I would do anything to win the war too. I respect Sgt. Barnes hardiness and how he would do anything to win the war even kill his own men like he did to Sgt. Elias. Another reason I pick Sgt. Barnes is because he has a ability to survive and make his men survive as well. He is very trained himself and his men that follow him. He has a lot of experience and doesn't show any emotions toward anyone. He also has no morality during this war. Another reason why I picked Sgt. Barnes is that he takes this war seriously. He would sacrifice anyone and anything for him to get a chance of winning the war. I can kind of connected to Sgt. Barnes because I am a very competitive person who doesn't like to lose. So when I plan on winning I will do anything in my power to make sure that I win no matter what. Sgt. Elias is too emotional and caring for war. He doesn't understand that things need to happen in order for the men to get home and to win the war. This is why I would choose Sgt. Barnes instead of Sgt. Elias. (Word Count 228)
student 26
3/31/2014 04:45:45 pm
I'm very sorry to say this to you student 28, but I would have to disagree with your opinion of your choice of soldier. Yes I do agree with the part that Barnes has the ability to survive and so do his men. Also that's he has a lot of experience and is well trained, but do you really think that's being a soldier ? Think about it, yea it's cool to be able to say you won and my troop is alive, but in reality who are you really. You a evil, cold heart man who only thinks about yourself and winning. It's not about winning, it's about being able to cross that finish line and say to yourself " wow I made it with my troop, together we defeated the bad guy ". TOGETHER is the key word.
student 26
3/31/2014 04:45:54 pm
I'm very sorry to say this to you student 28, but I would have to disagree with your opinion of your choice of soldier. Yes I do agree with the part that Barnes has the ability to survive and so do his men. Also that's he has a lot of experience and is well trained, but do you really think that's being a soldier ? Think about it, yea it's cool to be able to say you won and my troop is alive, but in reality who are you really. You a evil, cold heart man who only thinks about yourself and winning. It's not about winning, it's about being able to cross that finish line and say to yourself " wow I made it with my troop, together we defeated the bad guy ". TOGETHER is the key word.
Student 26
3/31/2014 04:06:04 pm
If I were a member in the platoon war, I would have followed sgt. Elias. For the fact that he was the one that cared more about his people. He really didn't care much about the war instead he worried about the lives of others. He has very good morals and a very big heart. He wanted everyone to be alive, he felt that the war wasn't something big to worry about. He motivated his team members in being better soldiers. He taught them that fighting in a war thing to win isn't always the solution. In other hand Barnes is a selfish guy who only cares about winning a stupid war. He doesn't really care about his soldiers. Okay yea he's a very good soldier and has magnificent skills when it comes to fighting a war and perhaps they will win and no one will die, but that's not the point. When your thing to get at something with that aspect you end up being a lower any ways. Winning isn't being the best and losing doesn't necessarily mean you're a loser, it the way you get at it. Sgt. Elias all he wanted was for his people to all get together and fight the war with peace like a family, Barnes had a whole different idea going on. He wanted everything to run his way. Sgt. Elias wanted to win the war, but he was also thinking not only about him self but the well being of his team members lives as well. Barnes has no mortality during the war, he shows no emotion nor sympathy. He knows what's he's doing and doesn't care who gets in the way, he will kill to win even his own men and that's sad.
Student 15
4/1/2014 01:18:14 am
In the platoon there are two outstanding role models. There is Sergeant Elias and Sergeant Barnes. The role they play can be somehow look on as the Jesus and Lucifer; which Elias is Christ-like and Barnes is the devil. For more than one reason I must say, however the role they play and how they play is pretty must understandable and the reason for their different actions is very logical. Barnes is a role model to many because of his experience, sacrifices and hard work put in to this situation and always come out a winner in more than one situation and for that he is highly respected. Comments are closed.
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