In "An Episode of War," we meet a lieutenant who loses his arm during the war. Before his injury, the lieutenant is admired and valued by everyone around him. However, after he is injured, everyone feels contempt and disrespect for him.
The main message that the story conveys is that war, although often celebrated and glorified by people, can in fact be gruesome and cruel. Moreover, the story demonstrates how the war can deeply affect and scar the people involved in it.