The enemy by Richard Wilson
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"The Enemy" by Richard Wilson is a thought-provoking science fiction novella written in the mid-20th century. The book explores themes of warfare and humanity through a lens that questions the morality of killing in combat, contrasting past and present conflicts. Set in a dystopian scenario, it examines how war can dehumanize soldiers and the psychological toll it takes on them. The story centers on a sergeant and a lieutenant standing watch over
the battlefield, grappling with the horror of their actions as they witness the aftermath of combat. The sergeant reflects on the grim responsibility of inflicting death on the enemy, demonstrating a deep sense of empathy and reluctance to embrace total violence. They discuss the idea that the enemy soldiers they fight are somehow preserved, metaphorically “frozen,” raising questions about the nature of life and death in war. As they navigate their discomfort with the brutality surrounding them, the narrative delves into the internal struggles of soldiers who must reconcile their humanity with the demands of warfare. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Wilson, Richard, 1920-1987 |
|---|---|
| Title | The enemy |
| Original Publication | New York, NY: Royal Publications, Inc., 1957. |
| Series Title | Produced from Infinity October 1957 |
| Credits | Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 89.1 (6th grade). Easy to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature |
| Subject | Science fiction |
| Subject | Short stories |
| Subject | War stories |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 71637 |
| Release Date | Sep 14, 2023 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 253 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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