Question

One of the themes that emerges over the course of this novel is that war is brutal and awful.

How does the depiction of Henry's mother in this excerpt begin to establish or develop that theme?


A. By indicating that Henry's mother enthusiastically supports her son's decision to enlist, the novel shows that civilians who have not experienced war often develop highly romanticized or idealized views of it.

B. By showing Henry's mother's disinterest in the war, even after her son enlists, the novel suggests that she has personally experienced war and been severely damaged by it.

C. By having Henry's mother react to his enlistment not with pride and poetic language, but rather with resignation and realistic advice, the novel suggests that mature individuals know the ugly truth about war.

D. By describing the anger that Henry's mother feels when Henry enlists, the novel indicates that war punishes the loved ones of soldiers the most, as they must endure great fear and uncertainty while the fighting rages on.

Answer 1

The answer is C. By having Henry's mother react to his enlistment not with pride and poetic language, but rather with resignation and realistic advice, the novel suggests that mature individuals know the ugly truth about war.

Answer 2

The correct answer is C. By having Henry's mother react to his enlistment not with pride and poetic language, but rather with resignation and realistic advice, the novel suggests that mature individuals know the ugly truth about war. His mother had discouraged him from joining but he enlists anyway. His mother does not try to convince Henry to be a hero, as he expected, instead she gives him some peace of advice.