“I was going. I couldn’t stay here. Every breath of its stale air, every square inch of the place mocked me, grabbed at my ankles. It needed blood to survive and it wasn’t going to get mine. I’d supplied it with plenty.”
Through Henry, the narrative highlights the oppression the Irish people faced because of British imperialism but also comments on the violence by the resistance. It had become an entity that was much more selfish contrary to the original prospect of a better and free Ireland. In the quotation, Henry has become disillusioned by the terrorist acts that have lost sight of the initial goal. While he recognizes the evilness of imperialism and oppression he also takes a step back to critique their own violent protests. He notices that the noble cause of the resistance has morphed into something as damaging as the imperialism itself.
“The country’ll be needing new heroes now that the English are after shooting all the old ones. They’ll need new men to shoot and love.”
The narrative illustrates the dynamic of the Irish conflict with Britain and how it morphed over time. In the statement, Annie expresses the need for a new generation of passionate and aggressive successors to continue the Irish resistance. It highlights the incessant struggle that was passed down over many years in an attempt to defy the British imperialism. Henceforth proves how the cause could easily lose sight of the goal because newer yet passionate successors lacked the context. For instance, Henry joins in but over time gets disillusioned, as their efforts become more of terrorist acts with extreme violence.
“The family trees of the poor don't grow to any height.”
The statement underlines the other struggle that was happening in the shadows that would take the forefront as it became more apparent. In that there is a class war that was looming that would dictate the state of the people in the long run. While the Irish people fought for the resistance to seek their independence, the social classes also played a major role in achieving it. The assertion expresses the sentiment that people from the lower class rarely get their way since the aristocrats will always takeover.
