Theme: War

Theme: War

Overview: War

• War is a predominant and defining theme in ‘The Cone Gatherers’, providing a compounding tragic backdrop to the story.
• The narrative unfolds during World War II, and this setting shapes the characters’ lives and outlooks significantly.

Depiction of War

• Calum and Neil, the two eponymous cone gatherers are on the home front, engaged in the war effort through their work in the forest, highlighting the widespread impact of the war, even on those not directly involved in combat.
• Duror’s experiences in the war lead to his psychological instability, further deepening the idea of war’s destructive nature on the individual psyche.

Relationship between War and Nature

• The novel frequently juxtaposes the destructive, human backdrop of war against the peace and beauty of nature in the forest.
• War’s disruption of the natural order is a crucial theme, explored particularly when the deer is driven from the forest by war planes, causing disturbance in the once serene forest.

War’s Impact on Class Divide

• The theme of war is interwoven with the theme of social class in the novel.
• The war effort requires individuals from disparate social classes to work together, which often leads to tension, as illustrated by Lady Runcie-Campbell’s uneasy relationship with the cone gatherers.
• Relations between characters underline the increased scrutiny of the class system during the war.

Conclusion

• War as a theme in ‘The Cone Gatherers’ is not limited to its destructive physical reality, but also extends its influence into the everyday lives of the characters, amplifying existing societal prejudices and individual psychological struggles.
• The pervasive impact of war and its thematic representation adds depth to the narrative and layers to the discussion of other themes like prejudice and class divide.