My Brother Sam Is Dead Analysis

The American Revolution was as war of principles, fought between two opposing sides with differing views. For example, the loyalist were against the brutality of war, and they believed that without the rule of the king, society would completely crumble. Moreover, the Patriots believed in freedom from the kings rule, and the freedom of speech, press, and religion. In the novel, My Brother Sam is Dead, a family struggles with the decision of being Loyalist or Patriots. War is negative because of the injustice of Life, Jerry, and Sam’s death, all of which convince Tim to become neutral.

First, Life death causes Tim’s neutrality. For instance, Tim discovers that his father is taken by the cowboys on their way home from Verplanks Pt. Later in the story, “In June of that year, 1777,” when Tim is back at home, “we found out that Father was dead. … it wasn’t a Rebel prison ship, it was a British one.”(pg.164). By looking at this quote, we can see that Time expected that his father might die, but the irony is that he dies by the hands of the British, his own side, instead of the Rebels. Even though that Father was taken by the cowboys, he

For instance, Sam is executed by the Rebels for “stealing” his own cattle. In the novel, Tim states, “ ‘It’s just so unfair, he fought for them for three years, and now they’re going to shoot him for nothing.’ ”(pg.200). By looking at this quote, we can see that Tim expected that Sam would die at war in a glorious fashion, but instead he dies dishonorably and is executed by his fellow army men. Tim is upset because when he tried to prove Sam’s innocence, the Rebel officers would not believe him: “But it’s all a mistake… He didn’t do it, he was chasing the ones who did.”(pg.182). Tim’s frustrated that the General will not even consider the fact that Sam is not guilty. This convinces Tim to stay neutral because he now realizes that war is not always glorious, and that it tears families