In the movie Saving Private Ryan, it is clearly shown that there is a tension for following lawful orders and following the human body’s natural instinct to survive. This is seen in the group of main characters that make up Captain Miller’s squad. After landing on Omaha Beach, which they barely survived themselves with all the chaos ensuing around them, they received orders to retrieve one Private James Francis Ryan, because it was soon found that everyone of his other brothers serving have been KIA. Since he was a paratrooper and behind enemy lines, they knew that multiple enemy counters were up head. During each enemy encounter they seem to lose one man every time. Each time this happens the squad keeps having doubts about their mission and whether or not they should continue or list him as MIA. Miller shows his strength and skill as a leader constantly by corralling after each unfortunate death, pushing them on to follow their orders to the letter. Everyone, unfortunately, in the squad do not have choice and have to abide by the Captain’s order even though he is starting to begin whether or not this man is alive or dead. Soon, however after Medic Wade’s death everyone is beginning to think that the mission is costing more lives than it is saving one soldier, compared to a hand full of men. If this soldier was dead or if they could not find him then this mission would be a waste of time and lives. This soldier have to deal with the fact that each time they go out their is a high possibility that they will be killed and the fact that each time an enemy is encountered someone dies does not comfort anyone.                                                                                                                            The tension, however for survival and following order, seems to most prevalent in the end of the movie and everyone finds the private, but with faced with one order that could possibly be their last. This order was to help the remainder of men with Private Ryan secure a bridge that was soon going to be under German attack. It can be seen in each of the men that this is possibly the last time they were going fight, since the odds of defending the bridge under a sizable German force when compared to literally a handful of soldiers left. Everyone, however does well to put aside their fear and turn that instinct to survive to something they can use to help them fight, determination. This can be seen in all the scenes in the end of the movie one being the fight to the death with the German soldier and Private Mellish where both men having to follow order to kill each other. Here it is seen that Mellish uses his instinct to help him fight off this German soldier until he is finally overpowered. Also it is seen in every one of the final scenes. All these men fight to their last breath putting away their fear from their survival instinct to follow order that they all realize and understand that they will save more lives then they are possibly going to lose in this fight. In moments such as these is can be seen that although the their tension between instinct and orders in final moments they come together hand in hand to bring out the strength and courage every soldiers has.

Citation:

Saving Private Ryan. Dir. Steven Spielberg. Prod. Steven Spielberg. By Robert Rodat. Perf. Tom Hanks, Edward Burns, and Tom Sizemore. DreamWorks Pictures, 1998. Film.