This Ambrose Bierce story contains some of the best descriptive language in American literature… so much so that most people will need to read the passage at least twice in order to properly appreciate it. All I can say about the plot without spoiling the experience for those who haven’t read it is that the surprise ending usually sticks in reader’s minds for some time. The major themes: sense of duty; love and sacrifice; the brutality of war; confronting death; near-death experiences; and time (the length of a moment) as reflected in the personification metaphor time stood still. More…
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The Drummer Boy of Shiloh
This story by Ray Bradbury packs a lot of raw emotion, even though the “action” is limited to a single conversation that takes place over the course of no more than half an hour. A fourteen-year-old drummer boy who must march into battle with no gun or means of protecting himself is a bundle of nerves on the night before his first encounter with the enemy. An inspirational talk with his commanding general teaches him that his drum may be one of the most effective weapons in the army. Themes: isolation and loneliness, empathy, duty, fear, courage, death, honor. More…
Luck
As the name implies, the major theme of Luck by Samuel Clemens (aka Mark Twain) is just that — Luck! Its main message is that good fortune can result in the most unlikely people achieving greatness. Minor themes are envy and injustice. The clergyman envies Lieutenant General Lord Arthur Scoresby, V.C., K.C.B., etc. for his successes in life… especially on the battlefield where, in reality, he didn’t seem to know back from forwards and right from left. There is also a sense of injustice in that the General appears to show no appreciation for the clergyman’s role in success. More…
Guests of the Nation
This story by Michael O’Donovan (aka Frank O’Connor) takes place during, or possibly shortly after, the Irish War of Independence of 1919-1921. Two young Irishmen become friends with two English ‘prisoners’ they are guarding. That is until a cold-hearted officer orders them to take part in the execution of the two men. As one notes at the end of the story: And anything that happened to me afterwards, I never felt the same about again. Themes: friendship, religion vs. atheism, choices and consequences, aspects of war (duty vs. morality, brutality, the humanity of enemy combatants, possible long-term psychological effects). More…
Civil Peace
On the surface, Chinua Achebe’s Civil Peace appears to be a light-hearted take on the challenges faced by a family in the aftermath of the Nigerian Civil War. In reality, it deals with the much darker themes of corruption, devastation and lawlessness, as well as the positive themes of being thankful for what you have, finding opportunity in adversity, hard work, family unity, and the resilience of the human spirit in times of extreme difficulty. Another theme, common in the third-world and reflected in the frequently repeated Nothing puzzels God!, is that everything that happens is part of God’s plan. More…
Yellow Moepels
In this story by Herman Bosman, a young a young farmer riding off to fight the British during the short First Boer War promises the girl he is engaged to that he will be home when the moepel fruit are ripe (yellow). The girl visits a native witch-doctor who tells her the same thing. We learned earlier in the story that witch-doctors can only tell you the things that don’t matter in your life. There is something more important in the girl’s future that the witch-doctor neglected to divulge. Themes: love, superstition, war, “bravery”, memory, racism. More…
Where Have You Gone, Charming Billy?
Private First Class Paul Berlin faces three antagonists in this story by Vietnam veteran Tim O’Brien: the enemy (it is after all a war story!), his fellow soldiers (he will be punished and/or branded as a coward if he fails in his duty), and himself (the ability to control his fear). Although the major theme is clearly fear, the story also highlights the naivety and youthful innocence of many of those sent to fight in the war. Fear is presented as two-dimensional. While giving in to it can have grave consequences, facing and harnessing it can save a soldier’s life. More…
Two Friends
Set during the four month the siege of Paris of 1870-1871, this story by Guy de Maupassant stereotypes (from a French perspective) the patriotism and valour of two Frenchmen and the barbaric brutality of the Prussian (German) soldiers surrounding the city. After a few drinks, two friends on opposite sides of the political spectrum (one a monarchist, the other a republican) set off to escape the deprivation and boredom of the besieged city by going fishing in the “no-man’s land” between the two armies. Themes: friendship, loyalty, patriotism, courage, the brutality of war. More…
War
If you are looking for an action-packed war story, this is not for you. Set in Italy during World War One, this story by Luigi Pirandello is a dialogue-packed discussion among the parents of men who are going or have gone off to war about its impact on their lives. The central themes are patriotism, duty, fear, sacrifice and grief. The climax comes when a man who claimed to be above grief because his son died honorably for his country breaks into tears when forced to confront the fact that the boy really is dead and gone forever. More…
Exchanging Glances
This autobiographical story by Christa Wolf provides a unique perspective on the final days of World War II, told from the viewpoint of a middle-aged German woman looking back on her time as a teenager fleeing the Russians with her family. Part of a column of refugees, she recounts being strafed by American fighter planes, learning of Hitler’s death, encountering a retreating Wehrmacht unit, and coming face-to-face with liberated concentration camp survivors. Ironically, some confronting experiences on reaching the “safety” of American lines leave her in tears. Themes: war, the vagaries of memory/selective amnesia, changing perspectives, dislocation, loss, death. More…
Crossing the Zbrucz / My First Goose / Salt
Today we have three stories (Crossing the Zbrucz, My First Goose and Salt) from Red Cavalry, a collection of edited entries from the war diary of Russian author Isaac Babel. The stories reflect his time as a journalist / propagandist attached to the First Cavalry unit of the Red Army during the Polish-Soviet War of 1920. These are not typical war stories involving great battles and inspiring heroes. Instead, the book provides a graphic insight into the human impact of the war on those fighting it, as well as the casualties and brutalities inflicted by both sides on innocent civilians. More…
Boule de Suif / Ball of Fat
Regarded as one of Guy de Maupassant’s greatest works, this story explores the interactions between a prostitute with the unfortunate nickname Boule de Suif (Ball of Fat) and nine other coach passengers fleeing the Franco-Prussian War. Her fellow travelers comprise a cross-section of “respectable” French society: politics, business, the nobility and religion. Maupassant’s sad message about nineteenth-century France is that no matter what shows of kindness or sacrifices people of the lower classes make, they are unlikely to be treated with respect and dignity by those of higher social standing. Themes: social class, patriotism, manipulation, exploitation, sacrifice/moral compromise, ingratitude, hypocrisy. More…
The Cow of the Barricades
This story from Raja Rao takes place during India’s struggle for independence from British rule. It highlights two major aspects of the conflict: the people’s desire for self-government, and the division within the people between those who supported Gandhi’s directive of passive resistance and those who advocated violent confrontation. The symbol of Gandhian resolution is a revered cow (a holy animal in Hindu culture) which, like many such advocates over the years, is martyred for the cause after leading a crowd of peaceful protesters to barricades as fighting is about to begin. Themes: independence, faith, nonviolent resolution of conflict. More…