Wars and its consequences
Wars mean violence, destruction, and death. The author of the novel depicts scenes which usually are left behind when it comes to a discussion of a war and its influence. A support group for mothers, whose sons aren’t going to return to them, shows how difficult it is to get used to an idea that your own child is dead and you are not. Childless mothers gather together just to talk about their Jimmies, Johnnies, Toms, Peters, Jack etc, for the society has already forgotten about them. What is more, now the names of their sons are often mocked, for the war they were unfortunate to take part in was unfair. This is a rather anguished feeling for parents.
Compassion
The average rhythm of a modern person’s life is so quick that we don’t normally have much time for pondering other people’s problems. If one fails to succeed, it is one's own problem. Even our ability to sympathize starts to suffer. Although Corrigan’s way of life is too radical for everyone to follow, one can learn a lot about compassion from him. It is important to remember that there is no need to treat someone unkindly just because he/she is less successful and his/her life is not an ideal one. If you don’t want to help, then just don’t mock or humiliate.
Shame
When one talks about powerful feeling which can change a life of a person, he/she often means love or something equally good. However, a feeling of shame proves to be no less capable of changing lives. For instance, Tillie, who had never dreamt about a desk job and even enjoyed her life as a prostitute, before Jazz got involved in it too, committed suicide being guided by shame. She knew that she failed as a mother and even lost her chance to be a good grandmother, but she didn’t lost her feeling of shame.
Dedication
To find your passion and do everything possible and impossible to achieve your goal is called dedication. Every person has its own. Philipp Petit spends more money than one could even imagine just to buy a wire and then risks his life to walk it, because it is his passion. Corrigan puts up with beating and threats in order to do what he believes in. The mothers, who travel across the city just to meet and talk about their boys, also show dedication. This dedication is the thing that makes them keep going.
