Author’s Purpose: Marcus Luttrell’s purpose in writing this book was to tell the heroic story of the Navy SEALs that died in Operation Redwing. He wanted to describe, in detail, what it takes to become a Navy SEAL and what it takes to survive at war. In addition, Luttrell’s purpose was to remember his lost teammates by commemorating their heroic actions on the battlefield. Why I chose this book: I chose this book because both of my parents read it and recommended for me to read it. In addition, I wanted to read a non-fiction book because I typically read fiction novels.
I am interested in what the Navy SEALs do and have seen them on the news before, so I wanted to learn more about them. One-Pager A I wonder what was going through the minds of the Navy SEALS during BUD/S training. The training that they go through is brutal and it is very tough on their minds and bodies. However, BUD/S training is what prepares the men for real situations, and therefore it saves lives in the long run. I was reminded of Marcus Luttrell’s devotion to America when he was on the mission of Operation Redwing.
Marcus always wore his patch of the state of Texas wherever he was. At the end of the book, he gave this patch to George Bush, who was the president of the United States during this time. Marcus’s pride for America is one factor that got him through the war. I would like to know how much strength it took to not surrender to the hundreds of Taliban insurgents. SEAL Team 10 was clearly outnumbered during this firefight and they suffered losses. If I were Marcus and I had just seen one of my best friends get killed, I would have wanted to stop, but Marcus persevered and kept fighting.
Trealized my appreciation for the armed forces after reading Lone Survivor. It takes a lot of gut for someone to risk their life to fight for a country and not know what the outcome will be. Going through intense training and spending years away from home is tough, and I am very thankful for the people who serve our country. One consequence of lokhay could be that they Pashtunwalai tribe would have to protect Marcus at all costs. Even if the Taliban raided the Pashtun village, the tribe would have to keep Marcus safe because they agreed to do so by lokhay.
The villagers would have to learn to fight and would probably have to sacrifice their lives. One-Pager B Marcus Luttrell, a member of SEAL Team 10, changed the most from the beginning of the book to the end of the book. As a young boy, Marcus always wanted to be a Navy SEAL. He trained with a local iron man, Billy Shelton, every day to get in shape and become stronger. At this time, Marcus was extremely determined and motivated to achieve his goals. As a kid, he was just living life the way it was, but after Operation Redwing, Marcus had a deep appreciation for life.
After seeing multiple of his best friends die, Marcus was guilty that it was him that survived. Two main factors contributed to the change in Marcus Luttrell’s outlook on life. The first factor was him seeing three of his teammates die on the battlefield. He understood that they sacrificed their lives to save him, and he wanted to remember them in a prolific way. This made him realize the importance of comradeship and bravery. If these men were not brave, then there is no way that any of them would have made it out of Afghanistan alive.
The second factor that contributed to the change in Marcus was his relationship with Gulab and the Pashtunwalai tribe. After everything that Gulab did for him to ensure that he survived, Marcus had a growing appreciation for people who help each other in times of need. For example, when Billy Shelton was training him as a young man, he was excited that he was getting stronger and striving to become a Navy SEAL. However, after everything that Gulab did for him, Marcus changed to realize that people help each other because they want the other person to be successful.
As the book progressed, Marcus became stronger both physically and mentally. He had to fight his emotions from his teammates’ deaths. He also learned to never quit, because quitters never win. Overall, Marcus Luttrell changed the most due to his experiences on the battlefield. One-Pager D In Lone Survivor, there are countless numbers of internal and external conflicts. The biggest external conflict in the book was when Marcus, Mikey, Axe, and Danny were under heavy fire against a whole army of Taliban fighters. This conflict began after Marcus’s internal conflict.
It started when two Afghan goatherds along with a fourteen year-old boy encountered Marcus. Marcus, Mikey, Axe, and Danny had to decide whether they release the three men or if they kill them. If the men’s bodies were found dead, then the Taliban would know that someone was after them and the world’s media would publicize the situation. On the other hand, if they let them go, then there was a very good chance that they would be reported to the Taliban and they would all be killed. The SEALs took a vote for their decision and would decide what to do with majority ruling.
Marcus was the final vote and he contemplated this, considering his Christian faith. He knew it would be wrong to kill these unarmed men, so he voted to let them go. After doing this, Marcus realized that he made a stupid decision and regretted it. The SEALs retreated to a new position and thirty minutes later, Marcus looked over his shoulder to see between eighty and one hundred heavily armed Taliban warriors standing along the top of the mountain. At this moment, the Taliban warriors opened fire on the SEALs. Marcus and Mikey fell back and plummeted down the mountain.
Axe and Danny eventually fell back also, but they were seen. Mikey was shot in the stomach; Danny was shot in the hand, stomach, and then was killed; and Axe was shot in the chest. Despite his injuries, Axe continued to fight until his last breath. Mikey needed to alert HQ of the situation, and he risked his life to call HQ by sitting on a rock in the open. Right after he finished talking, he was shot in the chest and died. Due to the conflict with the Taliban fighters, Marcus lost three of his closest friends and his life was changed forever. One-Pager E
I would definitely rate Lone Survivor as a ten. Marcus Luttrell did an amazing job recounting his experiences as a Navy SEAL on a mission to kill a deadly Taliban leader. In addition to describing Operation Redwing, he described the training it took to become a Navy SEAL. He detailed the gut-wrenching agility tests that the SEALs had to go through during Hell Week and the harsh conditions they had to live through in order to simulate being deployed. His use of vivid details made me feel like I was experiencing everything that he went through with him.
Although I felt as if I were there, I cannot even fathom how hard it must have been to lose dozens of friends who were like family. This book was a page-turner. I could not stop reading it because my heart was racing and I needed to know what was going to happen next. Because this is a true story, it is hard to realize that the events recounted in this book actually occurred. For these reasons, I rated Lone Survivor as a ten. Another reason that I rated this book as a ten is because of the characters’ personalities and heroic efforts.
Even though the four men were on a serious mission, they made jokes and tried to have a little bit of fun. Marcus seems like a very amiable person, and this made the story even more compelling because the reader wants him to survive. The progression of the book, starting with Marcus’s childhood in Texas, then BUD/S training and surviving Operation Redwing in Afghanistan, show his bravery and valiant efforts in attempt to complete the mission. Overall, I rated this book as a ten because it is very wellwritten and full of adrenaline-rushing experiences.
Marcus Luttrell is a hero and he could not have recounted his experiences in a better way. One-Pager G Marcus Luttrell taught me many things in Lone Survivor. The greatest thing that he taught me is to appreciate the armed forces. They risk their lives to fight for America, and I cannot thank them enough for the sacrifices they make. Luttrell did not directly say to appreciate the armed forces, but after seeing what he went through in Afghanistan, I have grown to appreciate them even more than I did before. Another thing that Marcus Luttrell taught me is to fight for what I believe in.
The reason why Marcus became a Navy SEAL was because he wanted to give back to America and express his pride for his country. He fought through brutal training to become a SEAL and then he fought on the battlefield, only to lose more three of his best friends. His teammates fought alongside him until they died, which shows that they believe in each other and that they will sacrifice their life for each other and America. Throughout this whole ordeal, Marcus never stopped believing in the people who supported him. For example, he trusted Gulab, a Pashtun tribesman, to protect him until he was rescued.
Once he was acquainted with Gulab, Marcus embraced the idea of lokhay and greatly appreciated what Gulab and the rest of the Pashtunwalai tribe did for him. In other words, Luttrell taught me to appreciate what others do for me because they do it out of the good of their hearts. Gulab never would have taken Luttrell in if he did not believe that he would be safe and eventually would be rescued. Henceforth, I greatly appreciate what my parents, friends, and teachers do for me because they want me to succeed, much like Gulab wanted for Luttrell.
In the end, Marcus Luttrell taught me to appreciate the armed forces, fight for what I believe in, and appreciate what others do for me. Closing Thighly recommend reading Lone Survivor because it details the true story of Marcus Luttrell’s experiences as a Navy SEAL. While it is hard to read due to the brutality of war, the morals that come out of Marcus’s experiences are inspiring. This book is a tribute to Marcus’s teammates, whom he lost in less than twenty-four hours. Their heroic efforts are what makes this book so thrilling and heartbreaking at the same time.
