Military police Quote by Etgar Keret
““He actually had a relationship once with someone who’d committed suicide. Not emotional, physical. It happened in the army. He was serving in general-staff headquarters at the time, and he’d been brought up on charges of being seen with his boots unpolished. And just when he was walking past the tall staff headquarters building, someone dropped to the ground next to him, splattered. A girl-soldier, they said, with a broken heart, a corporal, Liat Something. Later he remembered hearing a kind of scream above him as she was falling. But he hadn’t looked up. The sound didn’t even register. He reached the hearing all covered in her blood. They let him off. Liat Atlas. That was her name. They even called on him later, to testify at the military police investigation. It couldn’t go on this way, that much he knew. Maybe he needed therapy.””
About This Quote
Source Short story: “The Soldier’s Memory” by Etgar Keret, 2003
A soldier recounts a traumatic incident involving a suicide, emphasizing emotional numbness and the need for therapy after witnessing violence.
In simple terms: Trauma can be ignored until it demands attention.
Key Takeaway
Seek help after traumatic experiences.
Themes
trauma
war
psychology
silence
Mood
somber
introspective
serious
Type
narrative
psychological
When to use this quote
- military service
- witnessing a death
- court testimony
- considering therapy
Key Concepts
emotional numbness
memory
healing
Questions to Reflect On
- What prevents soldiers from seeking help?
- How does silence affect memory?
A Different Perspective
Therapy may be stigmatized in military culture.
