American Soldier Letter Analysis

Based on the email written “American Soldier Letter,” the unnamed soldier is a skeptical and exhausted individual who shows his feelings towards his experiences in Iraq. His attitudes toward his services are shown through his tone in the letter, the sarcastic examples of language to create a sense of humor, and syntax/appeals given to the readers by the speaker. Throughout the letter, the author implicates the harsh living conditions in Iraq by using an angry and tired tone. The author first reveals his experience of weather in Iraq by suggesting, “dress warmly… It gets really freakin’ cold here at night” (23). When the reader fully interprets this sentence, they can identify a sense of irritation and exhaustion from the letter. In line 25, the author also states, “I don’t even feel like talking about the latrine experience” to express his fatigue feelings of operating in Iraq. These tonical experiences create sympathy for the speaker from the reader, and lets the reader understand the harsh circumstances the author is experiencing.
The author uses skepticism to create a considerate and entertaining letter. In line 25, speaker describes the living area as “... a canister poured all over you, your bed, your clothing, and your personal effects.” This sentence provides a realistic example that could connect the reader to the author's’ experiences, and also creates an interesting sense of humor. Although the reader never visits the army camps in Iraq, they can feel and sense the tough settings of soldiers serving in the camps. When the author states, “ Tear down the three walls… You have as much privacy as I have” (11), the reader can sense the emotions expressed by the author towards the harsh circumstances. These techniques using language defines the letter and gives the readers the ability to understand the author’s