Mighty Martha Analysis

As Sofia is walking to school, we are introduced to "Mighty Martha", a pillar of the village's community. Martha "was the only famous person ever to be born in the village. She had won an Olympic silver medal for throwing the discus over twenty years before". This tells us that Martha is one of the most important people in the village. She is clearly a strong character, as she managed to receive a silver medal for throwing the discus. It also tells us that this village does not have many events, as she is still famous tot hem, twenty years after her achievement. Sofia tells us that "as usual Mighty Martha was scrubbing the pavement on her hands and knees". This tells us more about the character of Martha, and how she takes pride in her village, …show more content…
He uses this conflict to inform the reader about what the soldiers are willing to do to the village. They are ready to kill anyone who gets in their way, in a ruthless yet perfectly planned manner. They do not care about how their actions are affecting others, as they are completely desensitised to the violence that they are commiting. The cowboy soldier's callous attitude towards the murder of Martha depicts a frightening image, as the strongest person in the village wa carelessly gunned down, in an area in which she should have fely safest. The idea that soldiers could invade and take away everything that mattered to you and your family, is a terrifying thought, as in your home you should feel safe and protected, where you shouldn't have to worry about war, destruction or death. This hoffric iage is further enforces by the utter annilation of the village, when the soldiers burn down and destroy the buildings, after taking all of the inhabitants to an undisclosed location in the back of lorries. The detailed description of this destruction allows us to answer questions on what themes are present in the frighening ordeal which these characters had to go