VOA标准英语2010年-'Theater of War' Seeks to Heal Soldier

Maj. Joseph Geraci speaks at a town hall-style discussion following a 'Theater of War,' performance.

Wars may differ in their circumstances, but the toll¹ on those who fight them has been strikingly similar over the centuries. The violence, clamor and loss suffered in war weigh heavily on soldiers, no matter how brave.

To heal the inescapable emotional wounds of combat, the U.S. Department of Defense² conducts a program called "Theater of War," in which readings of ancient Greek warrior³ plays are performed for active duty service members and their families.

The readings are designed to promote frank discussion about post-traumatic stress disorder⁴ and other psychological effects of war.

Theater of War

"Ajax! My name is a sad song," intones the voice of actor Bill Kemp. "Who would have thought it would someday become the sound a man makes in despair?"

Ajax is the title character in a tragedy written by Greek playwright⁵ and former general, Sophocles, 2,500 years ago. It recounts the story of a fierce Greek warrior who slips into a crazed depression near the end of the Trojan War, attempts to kill his commanders, then takes his own life.

Courtesy Theater of War
'Theater of War' readings are designed to promote frank discussion about post-traumatic stress disorder and other psychological effects of war.

"It says that no one is invulnerable to psychological injury, that even the strongest among us fall," says Bryan Doerries, founder⁶ and director of Theater of War. The non-profit organization has staged readings of "Ajax," and a companion play to over 20,000 active duty U.S. military personnel and their families over the past year.

Today, many doctors would say Ajax shows classic symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder," or "PTSD," an acute anxiety response often triggered by witnessing or experiencing intense or prolonged fear, helplessness or horror.

The U.S Department of Veterans Affairs says that up to 20 percent of American troops returning from Iraq suffer from PTSD. Almost every day someone in the military commits suicide.

"We perform for only one reason," says Doerries, "and that is to inspire a conversation that would not otherwise be possible."

Inspiring conversation

He adds that people see themselves and their own stories reflected in an ancient narrative⁸ and they realize they are not alone, either in the room, or across the millennia⁹.

Courtesy Theater of War
Brig. Gen. Loree Sutton talks of the high suicide rate in the military, saying they are averaging "almost a suicide a day."

"At the core," he says, "we want people to actually acknowledge what they are going through, and see that seeking help not as sign of weakness, but a sign of strength."

The readings are always followed by town hall-style discussions, some lasting¹⁰ three hours, in which audience members are invited to speak.

The "Ajax" story offered both revelation and relief to Army Maj. Joseph Geraci, who felt that the gore¹¹ and glories of battle bind¹² all warriors¹³ together.         

"It's like we don't even need words," says Geraci. "All you need is to look in a veteran's eyes - be it it an Iraq,   Afghanistan veteran, a veteran of the Gulf¹⁴ War, from Vietnam, from Korea, World War II, a veteran from the ancient Greek wars. We're all connected at a very deep level."  

One vet⁷ seems visibly moved, even shaken, when he asks to take the microphone. He says he identifies with Ajax and his rage "… and just not knowing what you're doing and just blacking out and waking up in another time and place and not realizing what happened."

Cathartic¹⁵ voyage

Sophocles' play features a "chorus" which personifies the soldiers Ajax led. They are devastated¹⁶ by the ruined man he has become.

For Adam Driver, the actor playing this part, Theater of War has been far more than a professional gig. It's been a cathartic voyage back to the pain and helplessness he often felt as an enlisted¹⁷ marine¹⁸.

"I've definitely seen my sergeants¹⁹ and corporals, people I thought were stellar marines who later…get involved into drugs and they just crumble²⁰. And you feel powerless as someone who is their subordinate."

In contrast, says Brian Doerries, Theater of War's open discussion format²¹ allows enlisted personnel to speak frankly²² about themselves in the presence of their superiors and to be heard without fear and, just as important, it allows officers to listen to subordinates without the burden of military authority.  

"One thing that theater uniquely can do is dissolve hierarchies," he says. "Now the hierarchy²³ of the army doesn't dissolve forever. It dissolves for a moment because of the theatrical²⁴ production. Something magical happens. And it's an important thing to have happen in a community that needs to heal."

That community also includes the loved ones of those coming home from war.  An officer in the audience said his own son's experience was mirrored by the character of Ajax's son, seeing his father return from the Trojan war as a madman.  A veteran's wife reported feeling that her husband had dragged the carnage of battle right into their home.  

But the burdens of war cannot be just for warriors and their families to bear. Bryan Doerries says that just as society is responsible for sending its soldiers to fight, we must all take responsibility for helping²⁵ them heal.

In that sense, he says, the Ajax tragedy and "Theater of War" are a wake-up call. 

1 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

2 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

3 warrior   

n.勇士，武士，斗士

参考例句：

• The young man is a bold warrior.这个年轻人是个很英勇的武士。
• A true warrior values glory and honor above life.一个真正的勇士珍视荣誉胜过生命。

4 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

5 playwright   

n.剧作家，编写剧本的人

参考例句：

• Gwyn Thomas was a famous playwright.格温·托马斯是著名的剧作家。
• The playwright was slaughtered by the press.这位剧作家受到新闻界的无情批判。

6 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

7 vet   

n.兽医，退役军人；vt.检查

参考例句：

• I took my dog to the vet.我把狗带到兽医诊所看病。
• Someone should vet this report before it goes out.这篇报道发表之前应该有人对它进行详查。

8 narrative   

n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的

参考例句：

• He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
• Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。

9 millennia   

n.一千年，千禧年

参考例句：

• For two millennia, exogamy was a major transgression for Jews. 两千年来，异族通婚一直是犹太人的一大禁忌。
• In the course of millennia, the dinosaurs died out. 在几千年的时间里，恐龙逐渐死绝了。

10 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

11 gore   

n.凝血，血污；v.（动物）用角撞伤，用牙刺破；缝以补裆；顶

参考例句：

• The fox lay dying in a pool of gore.狐狸倒在血泊中奄奄一息。
• Carruthers had been gored by a rhinoceros.卡拉瑟斯被犀牛顶伤了。

12 bind   

vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬

参考例句：

• I will let the waiter bind up the parcel for you.我让服务生帮你把包裹包起来。
• He wants a shirt that does not bind him.他要一件不使他觉得过紧的衬衫。

13 warriors   

武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• I like reading the stories ofancient warriors. 我喜欢读有关古代武士的故事。
• The warriors speared the man to death. 武士们把那个男子戳死了。

14 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

15 cathartic   

adj.宣泄情绪的；n.泻剂

参考例句：

• His laughter was cathartic,an animal yelp that brought tears to his eyes.他哈哈大笑以宣泄情绪，声音如野兽般尖厉，眼泪都笑出来了。
• The drug had a cathartic effect.这药有导泻的作用。

16 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

17 enlisted   

adj.应募入伍的v.（使）入伍， （使）参军( enlist的过去式和过去分词 )；获得（帮助或支持）

参考例句：

• enlisted men and women 男兵和女兵
• He enlisted with the air force to fight against the enemy. 他应募加入空军对敌作战。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

18 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

19 sergeants   

警官( sergeant的名词复数 )； （美国警察）警佐； （英国警察）巡佐； 陆军（或空军）中士

参考例句：

• Platoon sergeants fell their men in on the barrack square. 排长们在营房广场上整顿队伍。
• The recruits were soon licked into shape by the drill sergeants. 新兵不久便被教育班长训练得象样了。

20 crumble   

vi.碎裂，崩溃；vt.弄碎，摧毁

参考例句：

• Opposition more or less crumbled away.反对势力差不多都瓦解了。
• Even if the seas go dry and rocks crumble,my will will remain firm.纵然海枯石烂，意志永不动摇。

21 format   

n.设计，版式；[计算机]格式，DOS命令:格式化(磁盘)，用于空盘或使用过的磁盘建立新空盘来存储数据；v.使格式化，设计，安排

参考例句：

• Please format this floppy disc.请将这张软盘格式化。
• The format of the figure is very tasteful.该图表的格式很雅致。

22 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

23 hierarchy   

n.等级制度；统治集团，领导层

参考例句：

• There is a rigid hierarchy of power in that country.那个国家有一套严密的权力等级制度。
• She's high up in the management hierarchy.她在管理阶层中地位很高。

24 theatrical   

adj.剧场的，演戏的；做戏似的，做作的

参考例句：

• The final scene was dismayingly lacking in theatrical effect.最后一场缺乏戏剧效果，叫人失望。
• She always makes some theatrical gesture.她老在做些夸张的手势。

25 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。