# Family and Sacrifice in Short Fiction

> Theme guide for Short Fiction by Walter M. Miller Jr..

Themes of familial duty and personal sacrifice appear in 'The Hoofer' and 'Conditionally Human,' where characters grapple with the cost of their jobs on their relationships and the well-being of loved ones.

## Where it surfaces

- [Conditionally Human](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_57_se/chapters/conditionally-human): Norris's marriage suffers due to his work, and his wife's emotional distance highlights the personal cost of his duties.
- [Death of a Spaceman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_57_se/chapters/death-of-a-spaceman): Old Donegal's family gathers around him as he dies, reflecting the sacrifices made by spacers and their loved ones.
- [The Hoofer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_57_se/chapters/the-hoofer): Hogey's return is driven by his sense of duty to his wife and son, but he resents the sacrifice of his spacer career and freedom.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_57_se/themes/family_and_sacrifice
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/short_fiction_57_se/themes