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The Theme Of War In John Collier's My Brother Sam Is Dead

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In My Brother Sam Is Dead, although both sides of war are shown, author's Collier and Collier ultimately argue that war is futile. My Brother Sam is Dead is based on details that the Collier brothers wrote. The novel takes place in Redding Ridge, Connecticut. Sam and father have different views on the war. Sam, the older of two sons, is in the Continental Army. Yet father is a loyalist. Tim the narrator doesn't really know who to side with cause they both sound right, but at the end the doesn’t agree with any cause he realized that war is wrong. War causes too many problems as explained by the Collier brothers.
One way the authors argue against war is that causes families to split apart. “In June of that year, 1777, We found out that Father was dead” ( Collier and Collier 164 ). Mr. Meeker is killed and the family was already split apart. Sam was at war and now Mr. Meeker dying. How can they still run the tavern? Mrs. Meeker, Tim, and Sam are the only ones left. ”Free to do what, Sam?” (Collier and Collier 7) .The authors explains at this point how people are losing their minds.The patriots are making the war sound good just to have them fight.Then they understand and after the war they would like to leave. Their will be no one to carry the family. Who will go to Verplanks Point next year to get supplies for the tavern? These are just two reasons …show more content…

“Yale students did rush away to get weapons and join the war in 1775 ” ( Collier and Collier 214). The students liked the idea of war and challenged others to join. “ Oh God, Sam fight? Is it worth war to save a few pence in taxes” ( Collier and Collier 21). The adults did not agree. This caused a clash of generations, the youth thought it was a great idea to go to war, while the adults did not agree at all. The adults also wanted peace and were mostly tories. Clashes of generations is just another way to prove war is

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