described in the protagonist's first person narrative perspective, it becomes clear that the author portrays that the negative outcomes and impacts of war, such as death, provides it with the ultimate power to force young children into undergoing the process of mental maturation at a young age. In the society, the process of growing up without a fatherly figure and lacking a father's love and care throughout child's teenage years, tremendously negatively influences the growth of the child which eventually results in a shattered, depressed, and bitter child.
             To begin with, as the story starts, through the use of conversation-styled text language, Findley illustrates to the reader the image of Neil's childhood behavior that clearly reflects his personality of being very innocent and ignorant, which ultimately accounts for his isolation from the significant current event occurring in the world, the war. In many instances, Neil's limited wisdom and viewpoint regarding the war situation creates a fear of war in Neil's mind which negatively impacts his youthful personality, changing him into a tensed and concerned child. Firstly, in the beginning of the story, Neil experiences extreme shock as Bud, his elder brother, discloses the truth about his father's decision of joining the army, which provides Neil with extreme emotions of being deceived, as his father hides the truth from him. Handling the truth for Neil becomes exceptionally hard as in his perspective, his father is a salesman. In a state of shock, Neil starts consulting with himself about his father's decision. Neil uses his limited wisdom as he assumes to, "[know] they wouldn't let my dad sit and sell things because in the army you always went in a trench and got hurt or killed" (124). At this instance early on in the plot of the story, Neil is introduced to the truth about his father's decision, his youthful personality is deeply affected. Neil, who is genuinely dispas...