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UNIT : 1

HUMAN RESOURCES

Define human resources and give an example to say that human resources are
invaluable.

Human resources are human beings whose contribution is used by the society for
different purposes. Human resources have a key role in the betterment of society. The
prosperity of a country is determined by the skill, efficiency and attitude of the human
resources. Many countries have been able to develop themselves due to the will,
capacity and skill of human resources. The skilled, educated and healthy human
resources increase the production, employment opportunities and levels of living of
people. Human resource is an important factor of economic development. There is a
close relationship between population and economic development. We have numerous
examples of human resources. Few are mentioned below:

 The worker in a factory works with various machineries

 A trader some buys and sells or barters
 An architect designs buildings and advises in their construction
 A scientist works in a branch of science
 A plumber lays water and sewage pipelines
 A mason uses brick and mortar and builds houses
 A nurse cares for the sick and infirm
In India at least two-thirds of the working population earn their living through
agricultural works. Businessmen and traders not only benefit themselves but they
contribute a lot to the society by providing job opportunities to many people. Thus they
improve the economy of a country. Engineers are creators, designers, fashioners and
builders. They have a key role to play in the development of the country. Scientists have
discovered and invented many things, such as, computers, electricity, various forms of
transportation, communication etc. They have contributed in the biological, medical and
physical sciences as well as those concerned with technology.

Srinivasa Ramanujan

Introduction: Srinivasa Ramanujan, a poor uneducated Indian, was one of the greatest
and most unusual mathematical geniuses who ever lived, was born on 22 nd December in
1887 in Erode in Tamilnadu. He grew up in Kumbakonam where his father K. Srinivasa
Iyengar worked as an accountant in a sari shop. His mother Kamalat Ammal was a
house wife and also sang songs at local temple.
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Childhood: Srinivasa Ramanujan started his schooling in 1892. He did not like school
though he completed high school and tried twice to obtain a college education. But he
failed both times because he was so obsessed by mathematics that he simply could not
spend anytime on other subjects. He started excelling in mathematics. He came to think
of his results or the source of his incredible outpouring of mathematics.

Early Life: In 1909, when Ramanujan was 22 years old, he married 9 year old Janaki
and took a clerical position in Madras Port Trust Office to support her and his mother
who lived with them. While working as clerk, Ramanujan continued to pour out math
results on wrapping paper in the office. He was tied up with mathematics in such a way
that he forgot event to eat. His wife and his mother used to feed him at meal times so
that he would continue writing while he ate.

Education & Research: Fortunately, both the chairman and manager of Madras Port
Trust Office were engineers who recognized his extraordinary mathematical talent.
They urged him to send his results to English mathematics. He wrote to HF Baker &
EW Hobson of Cambridge University. Both returned his letters without comment.

Then on 16th June 1913, he wrote to GH Hardy. He invited Ramanujan to come to

England to study with him Ramanujan accepted his invitation and arrived at Trinity
college in April 1914. Hardy characterizes Ramanujan as a very great mathematician
full of paradoxes, who defies all judgment. Ramanujan worked very hard in
collaboration with GH Hardy. He used to work 24 to 36 hrs at a stretch and collapse and
sleep for 12 hrs or more at a time. As he was a vegetarian it was difficult for him for
food in England. It resulted that he was affected by mysterious illness that might be
vitamin B2 deficiency caused by his poor diet. He returned to India in 1919. He died a
year later at the age of 32.

Conclusion: Ramanujan left behind 3 notebooks, which he wrote before coming to

England and which are filled with as many as 4000 results. GH Hardy showed a
colleague of his Ramanujan’s strange letter which was crammed with as many as 60
mathematical theorems and formulas stated without any proofs. He made a significant
contribution to mathematical analysis, number theory and continued fractions.
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UNIT : 2
TRANSPORT: PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

Write any two problems faced by public with drivers. Suggest feasible solutions to
these problems.

Transport involves problems and these problems require solutions. The fatal
problem of transport is the problem of accidents. Accidents occur mainly due to the
negligence of the drivers and riders in following the traffic rules and regulations.
Drunken driving, high speed, over taking other vehicles are a few reasons that cause
accidents,

We have the problem of pollution too which has a serious effect on our health
issue. This pollution is caused due to the bad condition of vehicles which gives out
excessive smoke. This smoke is hazardous. By insisting that vehicles are to be
maintained in perfect condition this problem can be solved.

In major cities the main problem faced by the public is traffic jams. The roads are
over- crowded by vehicles so much that people are held up in traffic hours together.
Traffic jams are caused due to peak hour traffic. By banning slow-moving vehicles on
main roads problem of traffic jam can be solved. Rush hour is a period when large
number of people are travelling to or from work and educational institutions at the
beginning and end of the working day. This results in traffic jam.

Other than these problems passengers face many problems related to transport.
Autorickshaw drivers cause trouble to passengers by demanding more fare than the
actual fare. They demand waiting prices too. Infrequent and packed buses force us to
depend on these auto drovers. Inspite of the government order to fit electronic meters
they neglect to install them. This device shows the distance travelled and the length of
waiting time so the correct rate can be charged. Transport sector should be thrown open
to private operators. They can provide minibuses or minicabs in all main areas. This is
the right solution to curb the demands of auto drivers.

MTC buses are appreciated at the same time public have complaints against this
transport system.

 These buses dominate roads and the drivers act as if there are no other vehicles on
the roads.
 They are always in a hurry to reach the destination and hence overtake all other
vehicles.
 They never slow down even near schools.
 Drivers take many things for granted.
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 Many buses are lined up and we can never guess which of the buses will leave
first.
 In bus again the problem of getting ticket starts as the conductor is busy and it is
very difficult to find him.
 Then the bus doesn’t stop exactly near the stop. It keeps moving without stopping
at the bus stop.
 Over- speeding, hazardous over- takings and blowing of horns is common.
 They throw traffic regulations to the wind.

Solutions to these problems are:

 The ‘Z’ services ought to be discontinued.

 Speed limit should be fixed at 30 – 35 kmph.
 Sped controlling devices ought to be installed.
 Time schedule should be fixed taking into account speed limit, density of traffic,
number of road intersections and signal points.
 Journey time should be saved by cutting out the number of stops and not by over-
speeding.

II. List out the problems related to road safety in India and possible solutions.
Support your solutions with reasons to make sure that your solutions are
implementable.

ROAD SAFETY MEASURES ININDIA

‘Speed thrills but kills’

Road traffic safety refers to the methods and measures used to prevent road users from
being killed or seriously injured. Typical road users
include pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, vehicle passengers, and passengers of on-
road public transport (mainly buses and trains).

Road travel has become an integral part of all of us and cannot be avoided in our day to
day life. With increasing economy and population, there has been an immense increase
in the traffic on the roads over a period of time. While on the one hand it has made
things convenient for us but on the other hand it also increases our concerns of road
safety.

Even though India has the second largest road network in the world yet it has a high toll
of road accidents. Every day around 350 people and every year more than one lakh
people die in road accidents in India and the percentage is increasing each year. India
accounts for about 10 percent of road accident fatalities in the world and has even
overtaken the more populous China, which is alarming. Our roads have a heterogeneous
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mix of traffic with high speed vehicles, rickshaws, motorcyclists, scooters, cyclists and
pedestrians all sharing the same space at the same time which makes things difficult, on
an already overburdened road infrastructure leading to major accidents. The time has
come to go for the high-end road safety measures in India, but before that we must
understand the causes behind these accidents.

What are the causes of these accidents?

Around 80% of the road accidents happen because of the fault of the driver. There are
several other reasons for these high accident rates in India such as-

 Drunken driving.
 Driver’s fault due to over speeding.
 Incompetent, untrained drivers.
 Pedestrian’s fault.
 Bad and defective roads.
 Mechanical defects in the vehicles.
 Bad weather conditions.

What are the effects of these accidents?

 Loss of life.
 Loss of earnings for the family affected.
 Costly injuries.
 Property damages.
 Primary accidents cause backups and lead to secondary accidents.
 Loss of travel time and increased congestion on the road.
 Increased noise and air pollution.
 3 to 4% of Gross National Product is lost in road accidents.

Total annual economic loss to the country due to road accidents is more than
Rs.3,00,000 crore therefore road accidents are a huge burden on the national economy.

What are the measures that can be taken to curb these accidents?

To make our roads safer and accident free, we have to take a few important steps in this
direction such as-

 Make Road Safety Assessment in India a compulsory part of the syllabus in schools
as the children should learn about the rules and safety of roads early in life. It could
be done through workshops, role plays, make believe situations, movies and field
trips making it a fun and interesting subject for the students and teachers. A
suitable road safety curriculum in India needs to be designed and structured.
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 Strict implementation of the traffic rules- The defaulters should be fined heavily for
breaking the rules. There should be an enforcement of the use of seat belts in car and
helmets on two wheelers.
 Proper and authorized driver training institutes with adequate infrastructure. The
government of India has decided to set up 10 modern driving schools costing Rs140
crores in different states to produce competent drivers.
 Make licensing and driving tests stricter.
 Mandatory registration of criminal cases if the vehicle is overloaded.
 Imprisonment and heavy penalty for drunken driving.
 Mandatory vehicle fitness checks for all vehicle owners.
 Road infrastructure-The automobile population in India has grown up to 170 times in
the past 50 years but the country’s road has grown only about 9 times. So there is a
dire need to improve the quality of the roads in India. Flyovers, grade separators,
service roads, sign boards, pavements, monitored crossings near schools and other
safety features have to be the primary focus while designing new road infrastructure.
 Need to provide well maintained, safe and efficient public transport systems.
 There is also a need to follow and organize Road Safety Programs in India on a
regular basis through road safety march, street plays, painting, essay and quiz
competitions and through regular programs for school kids, pedestrians, drivers of
commercial vehicles, auto drivers, bus drivers, truck drivers, two wheeler drivers,
cyclists etc.

There is a dire need for road safety management in our country. Smart traffic
management needs to be implemented in all the major cities of India. Some of the
things that can be done are-

 Installation of more CCTV cameras for better monitoring of traffic.

 Highway patrolling using radar to detect overspending vehicles.
 Highway advisory radios.
 Center to center communications.
 Weather monitoring stations.
 To reduce primary and secondary accidents there is a need for a traffic incident
management program which helps to reduce congestion and rescues the accident
victims to nearest hospital promptly.

Who should share the responsibility of road safety?

 First and foremost the citizens of the country. As responsible citizens of the country
together we can make the change.
 Government and legislative bodies of India.
 Police – police can improve road use behavior through enforcement and strict
measures.
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 Media- media can play a very important role in creating road safety awareness
through advertisements on safe driving (use of seat belts and helmets, avoiding the
use of cell phones and dangers of drunken driving etc.). Celebrity endorsements
make the message even more effective.
 NGO’s

Let us make our cities and towns’ safe and accident free with our conscious effort and
positive attitude. We need to have voluntary discipline within ourselves to overcome
this hurdle.

UNIT 3

EVALUATING TECHNOLOGY

Solar cookers

For rural communities, electricity and gas are prohibitively expensive, leaving charcoal
and firewood as the only alternative. Many times, wood is the single affordable option
because it is free. Unfortunately, it is also in short supply. Since burning wood releases
vast amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, health issues arise for those
exposed and global warming is aggravated. Often, people use indoor fires to cook and
inhale the micro-particles found in smoke, leading to lung and heart disease. Using
sunlight to cook your food requires no burning of wood or other fuel, thereby
minimizing dependence on wood for fuel and reducing deforestation and the release of
pollutants into the air.

A solar cooker made from basic components provides a solution to many fuel and
subsequent health problems. A deflector made from cardboard and foil concentrates the
suns energy. It is positioned around a container filled with food or water. A black pot
with a glass lid effectively traps heat and energy, cooking food within several hours.

Most solar cookers work on the basic principle: Sunlight is converted to heat energy,
that is retained for cooking. The other main variety of cookers are called parabolic solar
cookers. They typically require more frequent reorientation to the sun, but will cook
more quickly at higher temperatures.

Although there are many different designs for solar ovens or cookers available, there are
several basic principles that they utilize for heating strategy. An effective solar cooker
typically will use some if not all of these design criteria:
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A method for concentrating the sunlight. A material or device such as a mirror, foil,
or reflective material is used to channel concentrated sunlight and heat into a focused
narrow area where the food is to be placed for cooking.

A method for converting sunlight into heat. The most effective color for absorbing
sunlight and converting it to heat is black. The cooker should be made of a conductive
material with black to be most efficient at absorbing and transferring heat.

Trapping and containing heat. It is critical to contain the heat which has been created
by the absorbed sunlight within the solar oven, using some sort of clear solid barrier
such as glass or plastic, which allows the sun's rays through but minimizes the loss of
the created heat.

Biomass resources include wood and wood wastes, agricultural crops and their waste
byproducts, municipal solid waste, animal wastes, waste from food processing and
aquatic plants and algae. Biomass is used to meet a variety of energy needs, including
generating electricity, heating homes, fuelling vehicles and providing process heat for
industrial facilities.

II. “Technology has become so much integrated in our lives that we became slaves
to it. So we have to succumb to the negative effects of technology as do not have an
alternative”. Do you agree with this statement? Give reasons with real examples.

Benefits and problems of technology:

Technology advances show people a more efficient way to do things, and these
processes get good results. For example, education has been greatly advanced by the
technological advances of computers. Students are able to learn on a global scale
without ever leaving their classrooms. Agricultural processes that once required dozens
upon dozens of human workers can now be automated, thanks to advances in
technology, which means cost-efficiency for farmers. Medical discoveries occur at a
much more rapid rate, thanks to machines and computers that aid in the research process
and allow for more intense educational research into medical matters.

Advantages of technology:

Easy Access to information: It has become very easy to get access to relevant
information at any time anywhere. This has been possible because of modern
technologies like broadband internet.

Encourages innovation and creativity – Since technology is challenging, it sparks the

brain to work to its full potential. The creative works which have been facilitated by
modern technology include Google, Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, Amazon, etc
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Improved communication: Communication is like water to life. We can not develop

without communication. Modern technology has blessed us with advanced
communication technology tools. These can include e-fax machines, electronic mail,
mobile phones, video conferencing, instant text messaging applications, social
networking applications.

The convenience of Travelling: Modern transportation technology makes it very easy

to travel long distances. Transport is a very important both in our lives and in the
business world. Nowadays, one can cover a 10 miles distance within a few minutes or
hours using electric trains or airplanes.

Improved Entertainment: Modern technology has played a big role in changing the
entertainment industry. Home entertainment has improved with the invention of video
games and advance music and visual systems like smart televisions which can connect
live to the internet so that a user can share what they’re watching with friends. Easy
access and storage of music services like iTunes allow users to purchase and download
music on iPods at a small cost.

Convenience in Education: Learning is a process and it is part of our daily lives.

Modern technology has made it simple for students to learn from anywhere through
online education and mobile education. Also, students now use modern technology in
classrooms to learn better. For example, students use iPads to share visual lessons and
examples with peers in the classroom. This has made learning more convenient and fan.
Also new modern educational technologies support individual learning which gives a
chance to students to learn on their own with no need of tutors.

Social Networking: Modern technology has made it simple to discover our old friends
and also discover new people to network with. This is a benefit to both individuals and
businesses. Many businesses have embraced the social networking technology to
interact with their customers. Users of social networks can share information with
friends, live chat with them and interact in all sorts of ways.

DISADVANTAGES OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY:

Dependency: The more advanced society becomes technologically, the more people
begin to depend on computers and other forms of technology for everyday existence.
This means that when a machine breaks or a computer crashes, humans become almost
disabled until the problem is resolved. This kind of dependency on technology puts
people at a distinct disadvantage, because they become less self-reliant.

Increased loneliness : Social Isolation is on the increase, people are spending more
time playing video games, learning how to use new modern technologies, using social
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networks and they neglect their real life. Technology has replaced our old way of
interacting. If a user can easily interact with 100 friends online, they will feel no need to
going out to make real friends which at a later stage leads to loneliness.

Job Loss: Modern technology has replaced many humans; robots are doing the jobs
which used to be done by humans. Many packing firms have employed robots on
production lines to increase production and efficiency, this is good news for businesses
because it helps them make more money and serve customers in time, but it is bad news
to employees because they get replaced by a robot.

Competency – Increased dependency on modern tools like calculators has reduced on

our creativity. You can find a student when they can solve a very simple mathematical
equation without using a calculator. This affects the way this student uses their brains
and reduces the level of creativity.

AN IDEAL FAMILY BY KATHERINE MANSFIELD

AUTHOR:

Katherine Mansfield Beauchamp (1888-1923) was a prominent New Zealand

modernist writer of short story who wrote under the pen name of Katherine Mansfield.
She had achieved a reputation as one of the most talented writers of the modern short
story in English. Her works include Bliss and Other Stories, The Garden Party and
Other Stories, The Dove’s Nest and Other Stories etc. An Ideal Family by Katherine
Mansfield was published in the Garden Party and Other Stories in1922.

SUMMARY:

Mr. Neave felt as if he were too old for spring this year. Walking home from work, as
he had done countless times before, he suddenly felt very tired and subdued by his
surroundings. He could not understand why. It had been an ordinary day at the office.
His son, Harold, who stood to inherit the business, arrived hours late from lunch,
sauntering into the office, apologizing to no one and yet everyone, especially the
women, forgave him all his faults. Harold was too handsome by far with his full lips
and eyelashes. Mr. Neave thought them uncanny and recoiled at the praise his son
unjustly received from the family. Charlotte, his wife, and their daughters had made a
“young god” (143) of Harold and were forever telling Mr. Neave it was time for him to
retire and leave the business to his son but how could Mr. Neave do so in good
consciousness? Harold was unsuitable for the job: he didn’t take the work seriously and
had no idea how hard Mr. Neave had worked over the years to ensure the success of his
enterprise. No, he could not leave it to Harold. “A man had either to put his whole heart
and soul into it, or it went all to pieces before his eyes…”
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Charlotte and the girls wanted him to stay at home and enjoy all of the luxurious he had
worked so hard to acquire. They had the most popular house on Harcourt Ave and
Charlotte and the girls were forever entertaining. Mr. Neave; however, bristled at the
idea of being at home instead of at the office. His youngest daughter, Lola, had
suggested he get a hobby to occupy his time hinting that he would be unbearable to live
with otherwise. Mr. Neave, stopping near the ancient cabbage plants outside of the
Government buildings to gather his thoughts, reflected that it was a good thing he had
invested his time wisely or Charlotte and the girls would not have any of the wonderful
things he had bought them over the years including the “sixty-guinea gramophone” in
the music room and the many horses, tennis lessons, and the sea-side bungalow.

Mr. Neave never begrudged his wife and daughters their accessories, knowing they
were all put to good use, as the girls were very popular and Charlotte a remarkable wife
and mother. Mr. Neave’s house was frequently the site of large parties and he was often
complemented on his “ideal family,” especially the girls who were very beautiful and
sought after but had chosen to stay at home rather than be married. It was a strange
arrangement but one that suited Charlotte and the girls nicely.

Rounding a corner, Mr. Neave came upon his home on Harcourt Ave. The open
windows and beautiful flowers on the porch reflected the young lives of his daughters
within. As Mr. Neave entered the house he overheard his wife and daughters talking to
one another in the living room. He ran into Lola, his youngest, in the hallway. She had
just finished playing the piano and was nervous about something and hardly
acknowledged her father’s presence. For his part, Mr. Neave barely recognized Lola, a
young woman now in her prime. He thought of her still as a little girl and realized he
did not know Lola as well as he thought he did.

Going into the living room he met his wife Charlotte who reproachfully told him he
looked tired. Ethel and Marion, his other daughters, echoed their mother’s sentiment
and Marion, taking control of the conversation, scolded her mother for allowing Mr.
Neave to walk home when he should have taken a cab, implying that he was too old to
walk such a distance. Marion’s stern tone of voice was at odds with the young Marion
that Mr. Neave remembered who had been a shy child and had stuttered. Now Marion
shouted wherever she went, making her presence known.

Mr. Neave sat down in his chair and was promptly forgotten by his family as they
chatted about a dress that Ethel wanted from a catalogue and wondered aloud where
Harold was and when he would return. Mr. Neave drifted off to sleep, realizing that
Charlotte and the girls were too lively for him tonight. As sleep overtook him he
thought he saw an old man climbing an endless flight of stairs. “Who is he?’

Mr. Neave woke suddenly and was told to dress for dinner, they were to have guests
again tonight. Mr. Neave protested that he was too tired to dress but the girls persuaded
him to ask Charles, the butler, for help. Mr. Neave joined the old man on the stairs and
walked to his dressing room. There, Charles waited to help Mr. Neave change into new
clothes. Afterward Charles left Mr. Neave in the room.
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Finally alone, Mr. Neave reflected it would soon be time for tennis and the girls would
have tennis parties and Charlotte would call out asking where Harold was and someone
would reply that he said he would be there…His mind wandered and he saw the old
man again, now climbing down the stairs, going out the door and heading to the office.
Mr. Neave called out for someone to stop the man and woke himself with a jolt. He
must have fallen asleep. He heard the far-away voices of his family. They had forgotten
him, again.

He listened to them for a moment and concluded that he did not know who they were.
They were strangers to him. Life had passed him by and he had spent far too many
hours at the office and not enough at home. He did not know Charlotte as well as he
wanted to. He thought this Charlotte could not be his wife. His wife was the Charlotte
of many years ago who wrapped her arms around his neck and called him “my
treasure”(148.) The rest of his life has passed by in a dream.

Then the door opened and Charles told Mr. Neave that dinner was ready and the old
gentleman got up and said “I’m coming, I’m coming”

War

War is set in a train carriage in Italy during WW1. While their nation is at war
with the Central Powers, the passengers are at war with their own feelings.

Summary of “War”

A husband and wife board a small train carriage at dawn in Italy, joining the five
people who have already spent the night in it. The woman is large and in deep
mourning. Some of the passengers help her in and make room for her. The husband
inquires if she’s all right, but she doesn’t answer. He explains to the others that their
only son is being sent to war in three days and they’re going to see him off.

A passenger says he has two sons and three nephews at the front, prompting the
husband to stress that they’re risking their only son. This sets off a passionate discussion
about who is sacrificing the most. The husband says a man who loses one son has
another left to comfort him, but the passenger responds that such a man has an
obligation to live for his other son, and thus can’t end his misery at his own hand.

Another passenger, an old man, breaks in with a speech. He asserts that their
children don’t belong to them. They have interests of their own, including a love for
their country, and they gladly fight for it. They don’t want tears because if they die, they
die happy. And dying young and happy is all anyone could want as it spares them of the
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boredom and disillusionment of life. Why, he doesn’t even mourn the death of his own
son. He stops there, his lip trembling, his eyes watery.

The other passengers agree with him. The wife, inconsolable until now, finds
strength in his words. She listens closely as the old man gives the details of how his son
died heroically for King and Country, without regrets. All the other passengers
congratulate the man for his stoicism and bravery.

The wife, as if waking from a dream, says to the man, “Then… is your son really
dead?”

The old man looks at her, tries to answer, but can’t. He seems to realize for the first
time that his son is gone forever. He weeps uncontrollably.

Theme: Patriotism

While the passengers have differing opinions over whose grief is greater, they all
have strong patriotic feelings. No one even suggests that their sons shouldn’t have to
fight in the war. It’s alright to feel sorrow, but it would be unthinkable to remove the
cause.

The old man explains their The husband says a man who loses one son has another
left to comfort him, but the passenger responds that such a man has an obligation to live
for his other son, and thus can’t end his misery at his own hand.

Another passenger, an old man, breaks in with a speech. He asserts that their
children don’t belong to them. They have interests of their own, including a love for
their country, and they gladly fight for it. They don’t want tears because if they die, they
die happy. And dying young and happy is all anyone could want as it spares them of the
boredom and disillusionment of life. Why, he doesn’t even mourn the death of his own
son. He stops there, his lip trembling, his eyes watery.

The old man explains their sorrow by saying that a parent’s love for their children is
simply greater than their love for country, as evidenced by any parent’s willingness to
take their son’s place at the front. On the other hand, a young person loves their country
more than they love their parents.

He asserts that young people naturally put love of country above all else, and are
happy to die in battle. He twice points out that he’s speaking of decent boys. Likely,
they’ve all heard of young men who tried to shirk their duty, and are disgusted by the
thought – too indecent to tender as an alternative.

The old man also speaks of his son as a hero who died for King and Country. Everyone
listens raptly and congratulates him.
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Theme: Intellectualizing Emotions

The old man avoids dealing with his grief by intellectualizing over the death of his son.
He claims that young people wouldn’t want their parents to cry over them “because if
they die, they die inflamed and happy.”

Moreover, he says that dying young prevents their children from seeing “the ugly sides
of life” (like having to let your child go to their death?), so “Everyone should stop
crying; everyone should laugh, as I do…or at least thank God – as I do.” The old man
amends his statement that everyone should laugh. That’s too much, even for him.
Instead, they should thank God that their children die satisfied and happy.

The old man’s speech is carefully constructed and delivered with some zest. He has
obviously spent time rationalizing his son’s death, trying to convince himself of its
propriety. He has built an argument centred on duty, sacrifice, and love of King and
Country – his son was a hero.

But all his rhetoric is just a wall put up to block his pain. His lip quivers and his eyes
water; he already knows he’s lying to himself. Ironically, he’s losing his composure as
the wife is finding hers. She gets swept up in his intellectual and noble argument. She
comes out of her fog and asks if his son is really dead. The shocking tactlessness of the
question destroys his fragile equilibrium, revealing his extreme anguish.

Conclusion: War was written in 1918 and is not widely available in short story
collections. It’s a moving glimpse at the effect of war on those left behind, the ordinary
folks who make up the bulk of the population.