What would be the parents’ reaction if their sons who have been sent to fight for their country? It is a man
who experienced war first handed – with his son being drafted in the war who was also taken as a prisoner. The
short story was written in 1919, the year when the first world war has already ended. Luigi Pirandello shows the
theme of patriotism of the children and the suffering and longing of the parents in “War”.
“War” is an encounter of parents of boys who were sent to war. Inside the train, the parents argue which
one of them is right on their feelings on sending their children. First, the husband explains to the passengers
who helped them why his wife is crying. The reason is that they are going to see their son to send him off to war.
Then, one of the passengers replied that they should thank God that their son is only leaving now because his
son has been in the war since the start and had come back wounded twice and now sent to war again. Another
passenger replied that his situation is worse because his two sons and three nephews are at the front. The
husband replied implying that their situation is worse because their son is their only child. The passenger replied
again asking what difference it can make, telling them that a father’s love cannot be broken to pieces. That a
father gives all his love to all of his children without discrimination whether it be one or ten. The husband agrees
but tells the passenger that if every one of his sons die, at least there will still be one of the sons to comfort him.
The passenger replies that for them, if their only one son dies, they can end their misery by dying with their son.
While in his situation, if one son dies, he must live on for his other son. Implying that his situation might be worse
than theirs. Another traveler interrupts the conversation saying that their arguments are nonsense. “Do we give
life to our children for our own benefit?” the other passenger replied that he is right, that their children belong to
the country, not them. But the traveler disagrees. He says that their children are born because they have to be
born. And when they are born, they take their parents’ with them. He adds that the truth is that the parents belong
to their children while their children never belong to their parents. At their age, he says, that their love for their
country is still great, but they love their children more. He asks a question “who wouldn’t gladly take his son’s
place at the front if he could?” The passengers were silent. The traveler continues, asking them why shouldn’t
they consider the feelings of their children when they are twenty. Because he says that their sons, at the age of
twenty, most likely love the country more than they love their parents. And that their sons would die happier if
they die for their country without seeing the ugly sides of life because of age. He further proves his point by
saying that his son, before dying, sent him a message that he was dying satisfied at having ended his life the
best way he could have wished. He ended with watery eyes and a shrill laugh that might as well be considered
a sob. The others agreed to the traveler. The woman who was crying found it amusing that after searching for
someone whom she can relate to, she found it in the words of a stranger. But she still doesn’t understand how
they can let go of their child without crying. Then, as if she didn’t hear any of what the traveler said, she asks,
“Then… is your son really dead?” The passengers looked at her, even the traveler. He tried to answer, but failed.
He looked and looked at her as if the one small question was the only thing needed for him to realize that his son is now gone, forever. His face contracted, then snatched a handkerchief from his pocket, then broke into a
harrowing, heart-rending, uncontrollable sobs.
This story is not all about the feelings of parents whose sons volunteered for a war. Pirandello had written
this story during World War I and the inspiration of this was his son Stefano who was their only son and
volunteered for a service. This is the way to express his longing for his son, i.e. the feelings of a parent if their
beloved sons are in the war, and they don’t know what will happen to them. The family of Pirandello were living
in Italy during this time, in the story it was written in the first paragraph that “the passengers who had left Rome”
(1), it reflects the life of Pirandello and his wife that they must go somewhere and must leave their place in order
to survive during this crisis. During travelling, they met parents who are in the same boat with them. They are
longing for their children but for the sake of their country, they learn to accept their situations when the fat man
says the positive side of their son’s situation. He told them that his child won’t experience the “pettiness
and boredom of life”(2), because his son wrote a letter for him saying “he was dying satisfied”(2). They will die
happy at a very young age because they serve for their country. Pirandello uses characters to represent his side
and realizations about their situation, this seems a way of comforting the parents back then who were struggling
to accept and experiencing fear for the future of their sons.
This story highlights every side of the parents wherein some parents are still struggling to accept their
situation, some are still learning to view the positive side, some have learned their situation as a good way to
escape from the war because their sons serve for their country. This is the perspective of every parent’s suffering,
longing for their children and wanting to leave their place to see them off their child after a war. In addition, this
is a debate of the parents who are more affected because they have two sons in a war and some parents with
only one son. When the husband and wife boarded the train with a sad face, the other passenger noticed this
and asked them “Are you all right, dear”(1), the wife answered that their only son was on the front of the war,
and they will see him off later. The other passenger adds in that she has two sons and three nephews on the
front of a war. The husband tells them that he is their only son. They begin to weigh their burden and debate
about their suffering and mourning. It also highlights the paternal love of a father that their love is not like a bread
which will be broken into pieces, the true love will not be shared equally, but he must give all his love to each of
his children. So the burden for the father who has two or more sons is greater than for the father who has only
one son. One fat man rises from his seat and tell to be proud of their child’s sacrifice because his son sent him
a letter that “he was dying satisfied of having his life ended in the best way he could have wished”(2), this is the
way to comfort his companion during travelling and himself also. They discuss their side and feel that they are
more blessed than the other, and thank God for their situation. All of them are suffering and longing for their child
but one way to accept this is to know the other perspective of each parent.
The parents are more affected in this situation than their sons who are volunteers of the war and willing
to sacrifice their lives because if they die they won’t experience the sad reality but for their parents, the loss of a child has a big impact on them. The reality is different between them. Parents are mourning and struggling for
their son’s situation but for some children, they are satisfied with serving their country. From the line, “Our sons
are born because … they must be born and when they come to life they take our own life with them.”(2), their
children are developing as they are before, when they are at the age of their sons, it is natural to serve for their
country and choose their own lives. But, the difference is that parents have more love for their sons than their
country, because that is natural for a parent. Children don’t have so many responsibilities in their family but as a
son during war, they decide to sacrifice their lives for the sake of their country and future generations. As the fat
man said, “Country is a natural necessity like bread, of which [all] of us must eat in order not to die of hunger,
somebody must go to defend it”(2), this is a matter of age wherein, children are willing to go on the front of the
war rather than staying at home. At their age, they will die happy because they know they sacrifice their lives for
the sake of others, so they won’t experience the ugly sides and boredom of life. This is the comforting message
of a fat man to other passengers that they must learn to accept the decision of their sons. It is not about their
parents, but it is all about for their country.
The author made the readers realize that every family has its own story even if they are in the same boat:
war. Acceptance, fear, sorrow, connection, patriotism and seeing the good side of this situation for the country.
The country is like bread for basic needs, if someone is trying to steal this, they must do something to defend
this. It also highlights the love of parents towards their child, and the love of children toward their country. The
parents are willing to replace the position of their sons if they could because it is natural for the parents to save
their children, but as for the young persons who love their country more than their parents, they are willing to
sacrifice their lives for their country. It also made the readers realize to be aware of their situation, weighing their
burden and grief how that they are blessed than the other.
Pirandello succeeded in writing this literary piece in a way that he put his expressions towards his son
who sacrificed his life for their country. Every passenger or parents have their own struggles in life, but they
have the same situation as Pirandello and are writing this to look for the brighter side of the sacrifices. The
experiences of the author, longing for his son is the inspiration of this story. Writing this for all the parents like
him to accept their situations, showing patriotism, sorrow and fear during war.
Reference:
- Luigi Pirandello. (n.d.). Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved November 25, 2020, from https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/italian-literature-biographies/luigi-pirandello
