Vulnerable Lives and Culpability in American War Narrative: A Comparative Approach

Abstract

This paper analyses Kevin Powers’ The Yellow Birds (2012), Phil Klay’s Redeployment (2015), and Roy Scranton’s War Porn (2016) in terms of vulnerability of Iraqis’ lives in the context of the 2003 War on Iraq. It aims at uncovering the differential methods implemented by Americans to approach the lives of locals in Iraq and culpability for war atrocities. It draws on Judith Butler’s contention that Western societies address the lives/deaths of non-Western people in a differential method; the lives of Western people are prioritized at the expense of the safety and wellness of non-Western peoples. The argument is made through comparative analysis of selected works in two constructs: ‘vulnerable lives,’ and ‘accountability and culpability in war’. This paper argues that Powers and Klay’s works are more centred on soldiers’ victimized status, whilst Scranton’s is keen on showcasing Iraqis’ vulnerable position and soldiers’ accountability for their anguishes. Keywords: Iraq War; Roy Scranton; Kevin Powers; Phil Klay; Ungrievable; War Novel.