Break Of Day Themes

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A Break of Day by Tony Palmer is a compelling written story about a young Australian man called

Murray going to fight for his country in WW2, 1940. The narrative displays how the war is more than

about winning or losing. It is about the impact it has not just on the people who go to the war it’s

also the ones around them. Palmer explores many themes throughout the novel. He displays death

and how it is overlooked and is more than just a part of life. Another key theme in Break of Day is

Family. The importance of family is illustrated by Palmer. He goes onto show how destructive war is

and how easily families are torn apart. The final theme that is depicted is Bravery. Palmer explores

the theme of bravery in the novel, by showing how bravery is different in every …show more content…

“Run! He Said. Before it’s too late

Run! No, Sid I Said. Not this time. Palmer shows Murray would risk his life for Sid. He shows that it is

true bravery to Murray. Not all acts of bravery are to save other sometimes it’s about saving

yourself. “I could go back or I could run. It seemed to be such a simple decision….I ran” It shows that

true bravery isn’t always what people might expect from you. Murray having the courage to make

that decision was an act of bravery. The book shows different people have different ideas of bravery

and what true bravery means to them.

In the book it shows it’s not the war itself but the havoc it creates and the families it destroys. There

are no winners in a war just death and sorrow. Palmer explores the theme of death and how

insignificant it seems until it happens to someone you know. He shows the importance of family and

how driving it is. True bravery is analysed through the book as how people are courageous in

different ways. Palmer is challenging people about what it means to go to

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