Calvary · Theme

War and Disillusionment

How Calvary develops War and Disillusionment.

The Franco-Prussian War is depicted as chaotic, senseless, and dehumanizing, with soldiers driven by selfishness and despair rather than patriotism, highlighting the futility and brutality of conflict.

Where it surfaces

II
The chapter vividly portrays the horrors and futility of war, from the refugees' exodus to the soldiers' fear and the general's incompetent orders.
XII
The narrator's memory of killing a Prussian soldier parallels his guilt over killing Spy, showing war's lasting trauma.