Orlando Beale, Jr.
4/16/17
English 242
Mrs. Brownhill
War Power: The Tale of Two Stories
In 1775, our Army fought in the Revolutionary War. Soldiers were fighting on the
battlefield for the freedom that was later the Declaration of Independence. To win independence
leaders such as George Washington led the Americans against British Tyranny. War and Power
in American History is significant because that’s how we’ve adapted to a peaceful life. The
stories that exemplified War times the most were Editha and The War Prayer. In Editha I believe
there was a negative impact that Editha had on George. Editha didn’t see the down side of war
and the pain and death associated with it. Today we can analyze how soldiers in the military
today are pressured into joining for numerous reasons as well as back then, as the case with
Editha. In Editha’s story, George was pressured to serve his country in essence or he couldn’t
have Editha. In the War Prayer, it’s the same concept of having that pride of fighting and being a
hero.
The story Editha is about a young married couple that has different views on war. George
view is that he doesn’t feel he should join the military and fight in the Spanish American War.
Editha’s view is the complete opposite as she is ecstatic about George joining the military and
doesn’t understand his willingness to fight and serve. George’s personality seems rather timid
throughout the story so he has to prove to his girlfriend that he’s a ‘real man”. As the war
approaches Editha goes to her mom’s house as George is supposed to go there for dinner. But the
war has already started so he can’t go. Then there was the difference of sides as Editha’s mom
said “well he won’t go as Editha says I hope he will go”(379). so Editha writes letters to George
saying that in order to marry her he must love his country and say to her “I could not love thee,
dear, so much, loved I not honor more. There is no honor above America with me. In this great
hour there is no other honor. Your heart will make my words clear to you. I had never expected
to say so much, but it has come upon me that I must say the utmost” (379). It’s sad because as
George goes to war she never received any letters and that’s when she found out he got killed in
combat. The element of War and Power is displayed in this story because of Editha’s push to
have George fight and the Power is displayed by the will that she has to do keep edging him on
because he’s pressured into doing it.
