What is the theme in Guests of the Nation?
The main theme in this story is duty. Each character has a duty to perform. Donovan is the first one to discuss his duty as the rebels are leading the prisoners into the bog. He tells them that four Irish fellows had been shot and ”you are to be shot as a reprisal.
What is the plot of Guests of the Nation?
The film revolves around two Irish soldiers, passionate Bonaparte and naive Noble, who are charged with the task of minding British captives Belcher and Hawkins. Though their countries are at war, inside their secluded farmhouse the four men form an unlikely friendship over religious debates and late-night card games.
Who is the protagonist in guest of the nation?
Bonaparte is the narrator and the protagonist in the story.
Where does Guests of the Nation Frank O’Connor take place?
Ireland
The short story „Guests of the Nation“ by Frank O’Connor is about two Englishmen, Hawkins and Belcher, who are held prisoner by a small group of rebels, somewhere in Ireland, during the Irish Rebellion.
What does Belcher symbolize?
He states that he never understood the concept of “duty.” Donovan and Belcher symbolize the great number of Irish and English soldiers caught up in the War of Independence who felt obligated to serve their respective countries.
What does Hawkins symbolize in guests of the nation?
Hawkins, an Englishman, found joy in debating, and declared himself a communist and agnostic. In the story, Hawkins is always the person who lights the lamp, symbolizing the new ideas that he placed into Noble and Bonaparte’s minds and his willingness to question ideas that seem illogical to him.
What is the climax of Guests of the Nation?
Bonaparte and Noble round up Belcher and Hawkins. Section IV provides the climax, where Bonaparte confirms to a disbelieving Hawkins that yes, even though they are “chums,” he has to shoot him. Bonaparte shoots Hawkins while Hawkins tries to talk Jeremiah into letting him live.
How has Bonaparte changed at the end of Guests of the Nation?
Bonaparte has betrayed himself as much as the prisoners. Their pain and humiliation is over as they crumple to the ground. His is just beginning, for he will have to live with his betrayal for the rest of his life.
Why is Guests of the Nation ironic?
The title of the story, “Guests of the Nation,” is an example of verbal irony. Thus, in “Guests of the Nation,” Frank O’Connor uses irony to illustrate the conflict that soldiers feel when they recognize the humanity of their enemies and yet they are compelled to kill them.
Is Guests of the Nation a true story?
“Guests of the Nation,” one of several early O’Connor stories about the Irish gunman, reflects his own experiences while fighting on the losing Republican side during the Irish Civil War.
Why is the title Guests of the Nation ironic?
What historical event provides the setting for guests of the nation?
Published in 1931, Frank O’Connor’s short story “Guests of the Nation” is set during the Irish War for Independence. The narrative shows the bond that men on different sides of the English-Irish conflict have with each other and how a sense of duty dissolves those ties.