Men Must Fight story
When Laura Mattson's lover is killed in World War I, she raises their son as a pacifist. However, when a second world war looms "between the United States and a country referred to as the Eurasian States in 1940", that belief is put to the test.
14 total · 7 major · 7 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| duty vs. conscience | major | Bob Seward decided to join the air force out of a sense of duty to his country in spite of his pacifist convictions. |
| engaged couple | major | Bob Seward and Peggy Chase.; Evelyn and Steve. |
| mother and son | major | Laura Mattson raises her son Bob Seward as a pacifist. |
| pacifism | major | Laura Mattson raises her son Bob Seward as a pacifist but a looming war puts their pacifist way of life to the test. |
| patriotism | major | Bob Seward angered patriots Peggy Chase and her grandmother by expressing the opinion that flag waving patriots are a bunch of fools.; Patriots heckled Laura Mattson at pacifist rally.; Patriotic servant of Peggy Chase's grandmother went off with enthusiasm to fight for his country.; Edward Seward assured angry mob that he was a patriot for his country. |
| romantic love | major | Nurse Laura Mattson and World War I pilot Geoffrey Aiken fell in love during the war.; Bob Seward and Peggy Chase. |
| war is sometimes justified | major | Laura Mattson learns that freedom is not free and that we must always be prepared to safeguard it and we all have a responsibility to defend it. |
| chemical weapons | minor | Eurasian States used chemical weapons against the Americans in the world war. |
| coping with the death of a lover | minor | Laura Mattson's lover the fighter pilot Geoffrey Aiken was killed in World War I. |
| father and son | minor | Edward Seward raised Bob Seward as his own son. |