This book follows Easy Company and their training and history during World War II. The first chapter details their training under their sadistic and seemingly incompetent Company Commander, Sobel. This excerpt describes Sobel and his effect on the company.
"I asked every member of Easy that I interviewed for this book if the extraordinary closeness, the outstanding unit cohesion, the remarkable staying power of the identification with Easy came about because of or in spite of Sobel. Those who didn't say 'both,' said it was because of Sobel. Rod Strohl looked me in the eye and said flatly, 'Herbert Sobel made E Company.' Others said something similar. But nearly all hated him." (26)
I have spent the majority of my life on athletic teams and a few of them had clueless and cruel coaches. The team always unifies around the universally hated coach arguably faster and better than we would around a kind coach. Nothing builds camaraderie like wind sprints. Therefore I can relate to Easy Company’s situation. Thus far in the book I have read through the reader-response and historical critical lenses and believe I will continue reading through these, especially the historical lens.
I can see after comparing this to my own life how captain sobel left such a positive effect on the unit, even though he was cruel and challenging. After relating this to my owm life, I see that having a more challenging teacher leaves the student more hardened, but more sucessfull.
ReplyDeleteIt makes sense that a more challenging leader would have a more positive effect on you because they try to push you to your limits and by doing so bring out your best work. The camaraderie that you mentioned above, specifically with your example of "wind sprints" is interesting, and I have found in my own life that when one group has to endure a challenging ordeal the group becomes closer afterwards because they all know that each of the other members had to go through the exact same thing and they can relate which is exactly what is happening here.
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