By Judy Symes
Roncalli Central High
Port Saunders, Newfoundland

The year is 1944. You're a young soldier on a foreign land, in the midst of one of the most horrifying experiences of your life. You're surrounded by German soldiers, and you watch helplessly as friends are killed before your own eyes. The sounds of gun shots drown out everything, including your own thoughts.

I was disgusted and shocked, finding it almost impossible to look away. Knowing something like this had actually taken place was a reality I couldn't really grasp. This was how Saving Private Ryan began. The theatre was packed from front to back while people waited for the film to begin. Even though the movie was very intense, it had a story that deserved to be told.

I think that those of you who feel the film is too gory are just not prepared to deal with reality. In fact, I feel that in order to portray the aspects of war, it should have had more gory scenes.

The movie was very attention-grabbing. It made you realize how real war was. I enjoyed watching it and found that it had a touching story. It was heartbreaking watching those men die in battle. They put their lives on line, for us, for the people, and I feel that if it takes gruesome scenes to get the point across that war was real, then so be it.

Our generation has forgotten. We're not really aware of the history of war.

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