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  • Essay / The Importance of Obedience in a Few Good Men

    Table of ContentsMilitary Hierarchy and ObedienceObedience and ResponsibilityThe Limits of ObedienceIn the film A Few Good Men, directed by Rob Reiner, obedience is a theme central explored through the characters and events that take place there. At the heart of the story is a young lawyer, Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee, assigned to defend two marines accused of murdering a comrade. As Kaffee investigates the case, he discovers that the marines were following orders from their superiors, revealing the complex nature of obedience within the military hierarchy. This essay will demonstrate that obedience is a crucial aspect of military life and can have both positive and negative consequences, as illustrated in the book A Few Good Men.Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Military Hierarchy and Obedience In any military organization, obedience is essential to maintaining discipline and order. Soldiers must follow the orders of their superiors without question, even if they do not accept them. This is necessary to ensure that everyone is working towards the same goal and that the mission is accomplished efficiently and effectively. In A Few Good Men, we see the consequences of disobeying orders when Private First Class William Santiago is killed because he did not obey the order to leave the base. This is a tragedy that could have been avoided if Santiago had followed orders, illustrating the importance of obedience in the military hierarchy. However, blind obedience can be dangerous and lead to unethical behavior. In the case of Lance Corporal Harold Dawson and Private First Class Louden Downey, they were following orders to give Santiago a "Code Red," which involved physically punishing him for failing to meet Marine Corps standards. While Dawson and Downey believed they were following orders and fulfilling their duty as Marines, their actions were unethical and illegal. The question then arises as to whether obedience should have limits and whether soldiers should be held responsible for their actions, even if they are following orders. Obedience and Responsibility The theme of responsibility is closely related to obedience in A Few Good Men. Lieutenant Kaffee argues that it is not enough to blindly follow orders; soldiers must also take responsibility for their actions. This is illustrated in the scene where Kaffee cross-examines Colonel Nathan Jessup, who commands Code Red. When Kaffee asks Jessup if he gave the order, Jessup responds, "I ordered Code Red because that's what had to happen." This shows that Jessup feels he is justified in his actions because he was following the rules and doing what he believed was necessary to maintain discipline and order. However, Kaffee argues that soldiers must take responsibility for their actions, even if they were following orders. . He believes that soldiers have a duty to follow ethical principles and that they should be held accountable for their actions, even if they were following orders. This raises the question of whether obedience and responsibility can coexist in the military hierarchy, or whether they are inherently in conflict. The Limits of Obedience A Few Good Men also explores the limits of obedience within the military hierarchy. Although soldiers must follow orders, there are times when they must also exercise independent judgment and act on their own initiative. This is illustrated in the scene where Lieutenant..