Why Is War Necessary In My Brother Sam Is Dead

Many people debate over whether war is a “necessary evil” or an unnecessary one. War has many perks, some being positive and some being negative, making it hard to decide if it is necessary. The negatives of war is told in the book, My Brother Sam is Dead by James Collier and Christopher Collier. Taking place during the Revolutionary War, My Brother Sam is Dead tells the story of Tim Meeker, a son of a tavern keeper living in Redding, Connecticut. Tim Meeker’s family is split during the war, his brother, Sam, wanting war against the British and his father, Life, who is against the war against the British. Many events happen during the story forging Tim’s opinion to become neutral, such as the deaths of his best friend, father, and brother.

Only being a child, Jerry Sanford was captured by the British and put in a prison ship. He ultimately died of the disease infested ship and was sunk to the bottom of the ocean with weights never to be seen again: “‘Jerry? He’s dead?’ ‘...They put him in a prison ship and he got sick and died in three weeks….but why imprison a ten-year-old boy?’”(166). When the British were going through Redding, they took twelve people, but released nine of them. Jerry was sadly one of the three taken. Taking a boy and releasing someone who is of more threat to them is very unreasonable. Tim was very saddened and was angered at the British for it as he thought the British were people he could support at the time. He had lots of fun with Jerry fishing and climbing trees, but he expected to be friends with him for longer. Thinking that the war couldn’t also kill children, Tim decided to go against war, being