John Waters’ novel River City One is about navigating life’s expectations following wartime combat experiences. While the story is fiction, it’s told by a Marine veteran of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. The book’s detail will undoubtedly resonate with the current GWOT (Global War on Terror) generation.
The main character of the book, a veteran named John Walker, finds himself sleepwalking through life post-military service, all while longing “to feel happy.” The story hits on a common theme relevant to all veterans struggling with questions related to purpose.
Combat is full of purpose. This is understood by those who have been there. Full-blown daily combat diminishes if not eliminates all other problems. The warrior becomes completely present. In that moment, life’s purpose is clear. As an infantry officer in Iraq and Afghanistan, I vividly remember that feeling.
Purpose after combat is different, as war memoirs written across history confirm. But what makes River City One both different and refreshing is that it describes the veteran’s struggle within the restraints of modern social realities.
John Walker’s struggle following his military career is worth contemplating. Can marriage, kids, career — indeed, the monotony of daily life — be as fulfilling as defending his country in a seemingly endless war on terror?
For many American veterans, the war on terror consumed their entire young adult lives. And as any soldier or Marine facing multiple tours can confirm, healing is difficult when the next deployment looms. For the GWOT generation, war ended only when
