Loss of Innocence

Young men, described as boys or schoolchildren, are thrust into horrific violence, losing their idealism and youth; the book mourns the destruction of a generation's potential and joy.

Young soldiers who went to war 'gay in their approach' return 'maimed and mangled and blinded,' and civilians who thought of war as 'heroic pageantry' are confronted with its brutal reality.

The calm, matter-of-fact preparation for death by the young officer and the sullen man's eventual singing of hymns underscore the erosion of normal human responses and innocence in the face of war's brutality.

The initial excitement of war fades as soldiers face the grim reality of prolonged conflict, with a young soldier describing how the adventure turned into a sense of doom and slavery.

Describes how young men, initially drawn by adventure and patriotic fervor, gradually realize the grim reality of war as they undergo harsh training and face the prospect of combat.