The exceptional author, William Dean Howells, constructs a powerful topic of both the ideal and real aspects of war in the short story, “Editha”. This powerful story shows us the ideal versus the real. Some would like to think that when soldiers are sent to war they will return, and everything that they must do is “Holy”. Editha calls any war that occurs a glorious war (Howells 1492). This allows both the soldiers and their loved ones to be proud of what was done during the war. Howells develops a connection between the real world and the world within his story. What makes this realistic is the reality of what war brings forth and in particularly, the draft. After reading the story, we could describe Editha as a realistic character living
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George shows us the human side of the story. Despite all the things that his fiancé tells him, George does not support the war at all and does not want to go. However, it would not be real if he did not accidentally sign up to go. Because George dies, we can see the “other side,” the dehumanization of war. What makes this short story so great is the emotion behind it. The truth is what hurts the soul. Howell gives us the truth that we need in just a little over one page. On pages, 1500 to 1501 Howell reveals the reality and inhumanity of war. We are given an inside of the other side; the side that no one hardly ever thinks of. We do not think or wish that when soldiers go to war that they may die. Mrs. Gearson says, “No, you didn’t expect him to get killed” (Howell 1500). We are listening or imagining her, an older woman, speaking and pouring out her soul to tell everyone what needs to be heard. She is telling her to think about the fathers, husbands, brothers, cousins, and uncles that are being sent over to risk their life for a war that really is not necessary. Editha expects “my George, your George, to kill the sons of those miserable mothers and the husbands of those girls that you’ll never see the faces of” (Howell 1500). Howell relates our selfishness with Editha’s selfishness in this short story. Some people believe that it is okay for our relatives to go off and kill someone if they return, and this is what Howell is trying to get us to
George shows us the human side of the story. Despite all the things that his fiancé tells him, George does not support the war at all and does not want to go. However, it would not be real if he did not accidentally sign up to go. Because George dies, we can see the “other side,” the dehumanization of war. What makes this short story so great is the emotion behind it. The truth is what hurts the soul. Howell gives us the truth that we need in just a little over one page. On pages, 1500 to 1501 Howell reveals the reality and inhumanity of war. We are given an inside of the other side; the side that no one hardly ever thinks of. We do not think or wish that when soldiers go to war that they may die. Mrs. Gearson says, “No, you didn’t expect him to get killed” (Howell 1500). We are listening or imagining her, an older woman, speaking and pouring out her soul to tell everyone what needs to be heard. She is telling her to think about the fathers, husbands, brothers, cousins, and uncles that are being sent over to risk their life for a war that really is not necessary. Editha expects “my George, your George, to kill the sons of those miserable mothers and the husbands of those girls that you’ll never see the faces of” (Howell 1500). Howell relates our selfishness with Editha’s selfishness in this short story. Some people believe that it is okay for our relatives to go off and kill someone if they return, and this is what Howell is trying to get us to