Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo - Book Report/Review Example

Private Peaceful is a novel by Michael Morpurgo in which he has gone through the task of contrasting bravery with cowardice. The question of what is means to be a man and a soldier who is ready to demonstrate bravery and intelligence for the benefit of others arises. Even though it is a children's book, Private Peaceful possesses dramatic power and is a true description of the horror of war times. Private Peaceful is a humanizing recollection of the depravity that is overlooked by the British army to date. It has brought the plight of over three hundred British Army soldiers who were given the execution order for their alleged cowardice. The failure by the British government to grant posthumous pardons to these soldiers is also highlighted. Most of these young men had been uprooted from their lives and have been casted into the fore front of the brutal World War 1 forefront. Their journey from innocence to adulthood bares a sharp contrast from any illusion of the glory of war The simple literary style of this novel allow for it to be easily understood be a ten year old, despite the fact that it touches on some weighty issues such as cowardice, heroism, poverty, family, loyalty, modesty and innocence. The first person narrative has been effectively applied such that the reader has present day feel rather that a distant event look of a ninety year old event. The book evokes a real feeling of depression in its quest for realism Private Peaceful revolves around a seventeen year old called Tommo Peaceful and it begins with the Tommo reminiscing while in the trenches at War. The readers are unaware of his predicament and wonder why he sits vigil wants "to try to remember everything, just as it was, just as it happened. I've had nearly eighteen years of yesterdays and tomorrows, and tonight I must remember as many of them as I can. I want tonight to be long, as long as my life not filled with fleeting dreams that rush me on towards dawn. Tonight, more than any other night of my life, I want to feel alive." We are taken to his childhood days. He has two brothers: Charlie who is fiercely loyal and courageous and Big Joe, the oldest of the lot, who was born with meningitis and as a consequence, became mentally retarded. Big Joe is a bundle of joy, friendly and loves to sing "Oranges and Lemons". Their mother, Mrs. Peaceful is a kind woman who eventually ends up being a shadow of her former self: loosing the bounce in a walk and the light in her eyes. The novel begins as the young Tommo Peaceful is up all night before the execution of Charlie for his disobedience to the commander and for his cowardice, as he tries to recollect everything during his short life. His thoughts are the present but soon became a series of flashbacks. His of reminisce begins with his first day at school, with Charlie leading him. Tommo is griped with fear especially due to the horror stories of Mr. Munnings raging tempers and his whipping cane, as told by Charlie. Tommo wishes that he did not have to go to school like Big Joe, who sits at home with their mother. However, Charlie comes through as a loyal and supportive brother. On noticing that Tommo's eyes are full of tears, he offers to carry him on his back, an offer that is quickly taken up. We see how scared Tommo is, and he knows he is "living the last moments of carefree life time". Charlie tries to reassure him by telling him that the "first day's the worst, Tommy," On seeing a dead crow up on a fence, Tommy does not fell a once of sorrow. He ends up recalling the burial of his father. He blames himself for the death of his father, who died when he pushed him out of the path of a falling tree. This becomes his big secret, a load that carries with him for a very long time because he is afraid of telling anyone. During the burial, it is very difficult for him to say goodbye to his father, only manages to put his father's gloves with the rest of his precious worldly belongings after he is assisted by his mother. Tommy is taken to the "Tiddlers" class, and he feels as if the whole class is mocking him when Miss. McAllister asks him to tie his bootlaces. He is overwhelmed and cries because he does not know how to do so and Molly, the oldest and best pupil in Miss McAllister's class is asked to assist him. She does so and smiles at him and Tommo finds himself and falls in love with her on the spot. Over the break, Tommo is unable to join Molly, who is a group of giggly girls or Charlie who is a group of older boys, so he dares to untie his bootlaces and learns to do them by himself. Bravery is demonstrated by the young Tommo one day when Big Joe comes to visit him in school to him a worm. Unfortunately, Jimmy Parsons, an older child makes fun of Big Joe on Tommo's face. This agitates Tommo, who unsuccessfully tries to attack the bigger child. On seeing what was happening, Charles joins the fight, and a large crowd erupts. Mr. Munnings eventually stops the fight and canes the two older boys. Charlie seems unperturbed by this punishment. Molly becomes a regular visitor at the Peaceful house and Mrs. Peaceful treats her like the daughter she never had. As expected, the local land owner and owner of the family cottage, the colonel, pays Mrs. Peaceful a visit. He explains that unless Mrs. Peaceful took up the job of taking care of his ailing wife, he saw no point of the family's continued residence on the farm. There being no other option for her, she takes up the job. Grandma wolf comes to stay with them and is a cantankerous and vicious old woman who is bent on bringing up the boys in a way she calls "proper" she bullies big Joe for not being normal and kills his animal collection. When the colonel's wife dies Mrs. Peaceful comes back and Grandma Wolf goes to live with the Colonel. Charlie gets fired by the Colonel for freeing one of his grey hounds that he had planned to shoot. Molly and Charlie get romantically involved even though her parents are against her seeing the "thieving rascal". Tommy is consumed by jealousy over this relationship as he is in love with Molly even though she in love with Charlie and is two years his senior. She is soon pregnant with Charlie's child, is kicked out by her strict Christian parents and she gets married to him. Time comes when the young men have to go the off to war for rather under reasons as there is no idealism and besides, the Colonel threatens to throw them out of their home if they do not do so. Charlie signs up and Tommo is reluctant at first and he is not of age yet. However some vindictive older women call him "chicken" for not signing up and so he lies about his age, claiming to be Charlie's twin so that he can join. Tommo promises Molly that he will look after Charlie for her. Along with some old friends, the Peaceful boys are shipped off to France. The test for their bravery, cowardice and comradeship begins. The horrors of war are indescribable, unspeakable and incomprehensible bestial depths of the capability humans. For example Tommo says "by the time I got there, little Les is lying on his side shot through the head, his eyes staring at me. He looks so surprised." As Charlie had protected Tommo during their earlier days, he becomes his protector at the danger of the war front. Sergeant Hanley also Horrible Hanley, is a vindictive, one dimensional, brutal character takes an instant disliking for the brothers, especially because Charlie is not afraid of him as the other boys and protects Tommo from his brutality. One day, Charlie disappears into "No mans land" and Tommo is sure that he is dead. However, Charlie crawls back with a badly wounded foot so he goes home on sick leave. When he comes back, Horrible Hanley accuses him of self inflicting himself with the injury so that he could go home and thus, with renewal vigor, make life hell for the brothers. Despite his woes Charlie is in the picture of heroism as he carries an injured officer back to safety despite the fact that officers are liable to die. The brothers soon realize that he German soldiers are just as human as they after they survive a gas attack. Unfortunately, during a mini battle, a trench wall collapses on Tommo and Horrible Hanley orders a platoon to a certain massacre. Charlie refuses to go as he intends to care for his wounded brother. As predicted, most of the platoon is killed and Charlie is charges with cowardice and is sentenced to be shot to death at dawn. Charlie tells Tommo that "it wasn't a trial, Tommo. They'd made up their minds I was guilty before they sat down." Field Marshal Haid decrees "that Private Peaceful will die." It is ironical that they charge Charlie with cowardice. After his death, Tommo makes up his mind that he must survive as "he has promised to keep." This is a sharp contrast to the earlier Tommo, who was weak and under his brother's shadow as he comes across as a strong headed and brave soldier. REFERENCE. Morpurgo Michael (2003). Private Peaceful. London: HarperCollins Publishers. Read More