Luigi Pirandello "War"
Luigi Pirandello: "War" World War I was known as "The Great War;" in which countries all around the globe participated in an extensive stalemate that lasted longer than any leader or countryman had ever anticipated. WWI had initially been thought to last through the Christmas of 1914; however, the world war persisted for 1500 days. During this time, nine million people lost their lives in battle and millions of families ' lives, back at home, had changed forever. Luigi Pirandello was no stranger to the harsh realities introduced by World War I. Pirandello 's son was sent to battle and, unlike most other soldiers, fortunately survived having only been wounded. The short story "War" takes place during 1919; the year the official Armistice was called over WWI. "War" brings to light the internal struggles provoked by the loss of a child to one 's country. Readers are introduced to the seven characters in this short story during a train ride to bid their loved ones farewell, to fight on the front. The setting is stuffy, smoky, and cramped, as the passengers have been on this journey for three long months. This second-class carriage sets the tone for the heartache and sacrifice that envelops each passenger. Pirandello describes these characters in great detail to illustrate to the reader their intensity and discontent. Although these passengers ' stories differ, they each share a common thread of emotion that sparks a debate causing unrealized personal tragedy to bubble from below the surface. An immense amount of detail is privileged to the woman overcome with emotion and grief under her bulky exterior. She does not speak until the very end of the story, nor show her face in the least. Her opposing character, the watery gray-eyed monster of a man, also receives much detail from Pirandello. These characters are balanced by the woman 's tiny, small and bright-eyed husband who shares his distressing story with the other five passengers. Pirandello portrays a
Cited: