My father was a « conscientious objector » when I was born in 1940, but after officiating at 65 funerals at the nearby army camp, he enlisted as a Navy Chaplain. In seventh grade my social studies teacher, whose family had come from Ireland, had us read « The Man Without a Country. » Her patriotism influenced me such that years later, when I protested VietNam, I was careful not to repeat the words of Philip Nolan.
Our son wanted to get a dirt-bike, so I got a small motorcycle and a license, but although I was drawn to adventurous activities, I had a foreboding about my fate on the bike. When one of my high school students was killed on a motorcycle, I sold my bike and our son gave up his dirt-bike. Never regretted that decision.
Sam, thanks for reading. I suspect "The Man Without a Country" is one of the most anthologized short stories in American fiction texts and that more middle and high school students have read it than almost any story. So I wasn't worried about it being unfamiliar to readers. As to its message on patriotism, I can see a couple of different interpretations or emphases available to readers, both to Hale's story and to mine.
My father was a « conscientious objector » when I was born in 1940, but after officiating at 65 funerals at the nearby army camp, he enlisted as a Navy Chaplain. In seventh grade my social studies teacher, whose family had come from Ireland, had us read « The Man Without a Country. » Her patriotism influenced me such that years later, when I protested VietNam, I was careful not to repeat the words of Philip Nolan.
Our son wanted to get a dirt-bike, so I got a small motorcycle and a license, but although I was drawn to adventurous activities, I had a foreboding about my fate on the bike. When one of my high school students was killed on a motorcycle, I sold my bike and our son gave up his dirt-bike. Never regretted that decision.
Sam, thanks for reading. I suspect "The Man Without a Country" is one of the most anthologized short stories in American fiction texts and that more middle and high school students have read it than almost any story. So I wasn't worried about it being unfamiliar to readers. As to its message on patriotism, I can see a couple of different interpretations or emphases available to readers, both to Hale's story and to mine.