Rainbow Six: A Story Not to Forget

Rainbow Six Only Gets Better and Better

The multinational anti-terror Rainbow team successfully ends a hostage situation in Bern, Switzerland. The amazing takedown is the first of many for the team.  The team heads back to Hereford, England. They return to their usual schedule of training and practice.  However, this uneasy peace is soon broken by a hostage situation in Austria.  A wealthy businessman and his employees are taken hostage by fanatic communists.  The Rainbow team, against all odds, manage to take down the terrorists and save all the hostages.  The two terrorist attacks occurring in such a close proximity raise the eyebrow's of John Clark, head of the rainbow team, and the head of intelligence for the Rainbow team, Bill Tawney. Tawney begins to lead an investigation to search for any similarities between the terror results.  Sadly, his investigation comes up empty handed.  After the almost disastrous Austrian mission,  Major Domingo Chavez requests new gear and a helicopter.  A marine helicopter and its crew joins the Rainbow team.  Feeling undefeatable, the special operations team heads to Worldpark in Spain.  Eight Basque terrorists have taken over Worldpark and have over thirty children hostage, requesting the release of Carlos the Jackel.  When the French refuse to release the international terrorist, a terminally ill nine year old is killed in cold blood to make a point.  The Rainbow team, stands and watches, as taking any action would result in the death of even more hostages.  With the help of their new helicopter and crew, they successfully free the children and kill all the hostages without any remorse.  The special forces team returns to Hereford once again, to celebrate another successful mission.  Little do they know, however, that a bio-terrorist group is planning to rid the world of Earth's greatest parasite; humanity.

Throughout the novel, Tom Clancy uses the literary term of characterization.  He uses this on multiple occasions to give the reader an avid description of the characters he has created.

One example of characterization in the novel would be;

"Sergeant Louis Loiselle was the nearest.  Short and dark-haired, he was a former member of the French parachute forces and had been detailed to the DGSE some years before.  Loiselle was a vanilla, a utility infielder, good in everything but a nonspecialist specialist-like all of the men, a weapons expert, and, his file said, a brilliant marksman with pistol and rifle.  He had an easy, relaxed smile with a good deal of confidence behind it (Clancy 35)."

Another example would be;

"The woman is the dangerous one.  They're both smart.  They've definitely thought this one through, and they will kill a hostage to make their point, sure as hell (Clancy 176)."

One very large connection I can make to the world today is the hostage situation in Kenya.  A group of terrorists took hostages in a mall in Kenya.  The Kenyan army was called upon to save the hostages at the mall, and have successfully done so.  I can make this connection to Rainbow Six, as the Rainbow special forces team does everything in its power to stop the terrorists.  Like at Worldpark, the Rainbow assault team successfully rescued the hostages and took out all the Basque terrorists.  These two situations heavily mirror each other. 

Literary Toolbox: "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edger Allen Poe

"The Cask of Amontillado" Literary Analysis

Edger Allen Poe is known for his twisted and sometimes grotesque novels, poems, and stories.  "The Cask of Amontillado" is no exception.  Poe tells the story of a revenge-driven Montresor who plots to kill Fortunato. (Who, according to Montresor, has given him a thousand injuries).  This short-story provides numerous examples of indirect and direct characterization.  Characterization is the way the author presents a character (or in the case of "The Case of Amontillado", characters, both directly and indirectly).

Two major examples of characterization in this short story are:

1)  "The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge" (Poe 58).

2)  "... this Fortunato- although in other regards he was a man to be respected and even feared" (Poe 59).

The first example demonstrates indirect characterization of both Montresor and Fortunato.  This quote gives and audience an idea of who these two characters are.  It characterizes Montresor as the bullied, who has finally had enough of Fortunato and his actions.  This excerpt also characterizes Fortunato as a bully, who, on numerous occasions, maliciously insulted and bullied Montresor.  The second example demonstrates a direct characterization by the narrator.  The narrator describes, very plainly and to the point, that Forunato is a powerful and respectable man who should be feared.  However, Montresor is an unreliable narrator, with already biased opinions.  Therefore, the characterizations given and hinted at by the narrator may not be truthful.

Characterization gives you more information about a character, or characters.  It also provokes a reader to begin thinking about the characters.  Indirect characterization makes you make your own conclusions about a character.  These conclusions on Fortunato and Montresor were made at the beginning of the story, where the first example/quote is found.  These conclusions and direct characterization offer more information about the characters found in the story.  Characterization, when used properly, can be a powerful tool in any form of literature. 

Literary Toolbox: "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant

"The Necklace" Literary Analysis

"The Necklace" is one of Guy de Maupassant's most popular works.  Guy de Maupassant, a famous author from the 1800's, is deemed the father of modern short stories.  This short story provides great example of situational irony.  Situational irony is when the outcome of a situation is the opposite of what is expected.

There are two major examples of this irony:

1)  When Mme. Loisel receives a sought after invitation to the evening reception at the Ministeriel Mansion, she became angry and scornful, not even a bit excited over the invitation to a high-class social event.

2)  When Mme. Loisel learns that Mme. Forestier's diamond neckace was an imitaion, not even worth 500 francs.

Both of these examples show the literary term of situational irony being used.  When Mme. Loisel receives the invitation, the reader expects her to be ecstatic, as her social position is improving.  Her social status improving is what she always wanted and dreamed of.  When this dream comes true, she is depressed, angry, and scornful, which is the exact opposite reaction the reader expects.  Also, M. and Mme. Loisel, after losing the diamond necklace, spend ten years trying to pay off a debt of 36,000 francs on a new necklace for Mme. Forestier.  At the end of the story, it is revealed that the diamond necklace was not even worth 500 francs, which is the opposite of what the reader expects.

Situational irony thickens the plot or adds plot twists.  These additions to the plot, allow the story to continue to become more interesting.  When Mme. Loisel is displeased with her position and being invited to the party, I became more interested as I thought I had a clear concept of her character and her values.  Guy de Maupassant's use of irony created an interesting, creative, and very ironic ending that stressed Mme. Loisel's fatal flaw.  He demonstrated to me how important irony is to a story when used correctly.. 

September's Book of the Month

September Book of the Month

Rainbow Six by Tom Clancy

The book I am currently reading is Rainbow Six by Tom Clancy.  This novel would be a must read for any military thriller fans.  This book reminds me of Robert Ludlum's Bourne Trilogy, that deals with espionage and military themes that are followed by all of Tom Clancy's novels.  Rainbow Six is part of the "Jack Ryan Fictional Universe", which are a group of novels that all occur in the same universe that was created by Tom Clancy taking place during and after the Cold War.

Tom Clancy is an author best known for his techno and espionage thrillers.  He is a lifelong history and military technology buff, whose possible war scenarios are deemed to be so realistic, that many United States military institutions are considering to require Tom Clancy's works to be read.  Clancy has written numerous novels which repeatedly rank number one on the New York Times's Best Sellers list.  Currently, he continues writing new novels, which continue the story of Jack Ryan and John Clark.  He also is a co-owner of the Baltimore Orioles.

The novel begins with John Clark, Domingo Chavez, and Alistair Stanley on a flight to Hereford, England to take over the new, multinational, anti-terror team known as Rainbow.  En route to England, three rogue Basque terrorists hijack their airliner.  After a quick demonstration of their wits, talents, and physical abilities, they forcibly stop these amateur terrorists.  The trio soon returns back to their journey and arrives at Hereford.  They find their organization to be made of the best of the best, from the United States, the United Kingdom, and several select NATO nations, including Germany and France.  Clark makes it very clear that they need to be ready at any moment and numerous nations are counting on them.  The special forces team begins intensive training.  Their training is soon put to the test when a German terrorist group takes hostages at a bank in Bern, Switzerland.

Sadly, although this novel did not win any awards, it did reach number one on the New York Times Bestseller list, making it popular choice among readers.