In the Shadow of War

In the Shadow of War

War is a state that leaves a scar on the human race forever. It is not only a physical battle but an emotional one as well. In the short story, In the Shadow of War, the author Ben Okri, conveys the tale of a young boy and how his father tries to protect his innocence amidst the chaos going on around them. The story was set during what seemed to be the middle of World War II, in a small town where the reek of death was something that they were accustomed to.

Omovo, the main character of the story, is a young boy who is playful and curious to know what is going on around him. In the beginning of the story, his innocence is evident and as he follows the black lady into the forest and witnesses her murder and the dead bodies, he is hit with the true revulsion of what was going on around him. His father tried his best to protect Omovo by hiding the truth and making war seem as light as possible. But still, it didn't stop his prying. He's still a child, and he wanted to understand what was going on with the adults around him. Another character in the story is Omovo's father, who seemed employed yet the story didn't go into detail about his occupation. As mentioned, he tried to protect Omovo's innocence by not letting him listen to the radio or stay out too late, and by lying about the eclipse. It was apparent that he didn't want his son to see the harsh reality of human suffering. Imagery is used to describe the soldiers' behavior as being crude and manipulative. Words such as spit, veins and flies create an unpleasant mood towards the soldiers. They are openly paying the children and using them to carry out their dirty work e.g. following the mysterious lady in black who is supposedly a spy. Also they come across as being slightly incompetent as they are drinking on the job. Altogether they are not appealing characters. The woman in black is a provocative character as she may signify other meanings than just simply a spy. The children have an innate fear of this woman and try to scare each other with urban legends. The words used to describe her could give the impression that she is perhaps supernatural in some way. She appears not to touch the floor as she walks but you get the impression that she is good as she initially delivers a package to some cave dwellers who are very happy with her delivery. In the end she is abused by the soldiers and murdered which could symbolize the surfacing of the evil side of human nature during times of war.

The story is basically about the experience of a little boy in a small town being torn apart by war. The radio announces an imminent lunar eclipse which could signify that the whole town is engulfed by darkness, both physically and metaphorically. The boy's father warns him to