I remembered the way a Phantom pilot had talked about how beautiful the surface-to-
air missiles looked as they drifted up
toward his plane to kill him, and
remembered myself how lovely -50-caliber
tracers could be, coming at you as you flew
at night in a helicopter, how slow and
graceful, arching up easily, a dream, so
remote from anything that could harm you.
It could make you feel a total serenity, an
elevation that put you above death, but that
never lasted very long. One hit anywhere in
the chopper would bring you back, bitten
lips, white knuckles and all, and then you
What is the overall effect of the imagery in this
passage?
O Terrifying images show that people continue
to dream about events after they have
happened
Vivid images of a Phantom pilot show the
terrible dangers that soldiers faced at war
Beautiful images of deadly weapons create
tension
Serene images of the night sky show that
soldiers found comfort in the natural world.
DONE