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The Run for the Wall
The run for the wall is an interesting pilgrimage that corresponds to other religious pilgrimages in the world. The participants who often ride on motorcycles from different states to the Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., derive meaning from this journey. The veterans find a moment to recall the dangers they faced when fighting in Vietnam and the conflicts surrounding this war. Veterans also relieve the traumatic experiences they experienced during the war. Additionally, it is a day of remembering the POWs and MIAs of the Vietnam War (p.277). A pilgrimage is a form of a ritual that connects the participants to the past. The run for the wall is a pilgrimage for the veterans to connect with their past. They also rewrite their history from shame to pride and get a homecoming reception. The symbolism of using motorcycles is also exciting. Motorcycles symbolizes American values such as individualism, freedom and patriotism (p.281). The bikers also ride in pairs of two to demonstrate brotherhood which is expressed by soldiers in battlefield. Therefore, it is interesting to know that “run for the wall” is a special pilgrimage for veterans in the U.S. and has its own rituals.
Works Cited
Dubisch, Jill. “Run for the Wall: An American Pilgrimage.” Pp.275 -285