1. Born on the Fourth of July: Lecture: Part 1 Ron Kovic’s 5 Elements of Realism

2. 1. Kovic’s Use of Language  Blunt, crude, shocking, maybe offensive to certain readers  Attention-Getting: “I have given my... d_ck for democracy” (Kovic 116).  Emotionally Impacting

3. 2. Inclusion of Taboo Topics  Male Impotence  Describes the killing of innocent people/children  Honestly admits to “Friendly Fire” incident w/ Georgia Corporal  Describes day to day living with a disability

4. 3. Unglamorous Depiction of War  “Six o’Clock Special” (46)  Soldiers Crying for their mothers (31)  Boot Camp Treatment (90-91)  Commander wanting to cover up the “Friendly Fire” Incident (189-90)

5. 4) Multiple Types of Narration  1 st Person “I” (29)  3 rd Person “he, him, they, them” (43)  Stream of Consciousness (96, 170- 71

6. 5. Ignores Chronological Order  Book begins with Kovic getting seriously wounded(29)  Describes Hospital Conditions  Describes 1950s Childhood  Comes home/Joins Protest Movement  Describes killing Georgia Corporal  Describes killing innocent villagers  Book ends with Kovic getting seriously wounded(214)

7. Born on the Fourth of July: Lecture: Part 2 Kovic’s Use of Irony

8. Definition of Irony: Opposite of your expectations: Example (Movie): Kovic tells Georgia Corporal: “You’ll be fine. I’ve never seen a Georgia boy get hurt over here yet.”

9. 5 Examples of Irony in the Book Title of the Book (Ex: 50-51) Dedication Page (Ex: 147-48)

10. Examples of Irony Continued Epigraph #1: a short line from a speech (Ex: 148-49, 155-56) Epigraph #2: a short line from a poem Postscript: (Letter to Kovic’s parents praising him as an American everyone can “be proud of” )