The Bond Between Horse and Human
From the outset of the novel, the deep and enduring bond between a horse and his rider or owner is both emphasized and celebrated. When Joey arrives in the stable, he and his human friend Albert begin to create an emotional bond, finding communication strategies that allow them to get to know each other in a profound and genuine manner. Albert has a special whistle noise to call Joey to him; it is this whistle that proves to his superior officers that the horse they have brought in as the war rages is indeed Joey. The fact that Joey recognizes this call is a tangible illustration of this bond. Although Joey does bond with subsequent riders, the kinship that he and Albert share is lifelong and genuine. The bond between human and equine characters is also illustrated in a more general sense when Joey describes the intense relationship between his fellow war horses, such as Topthorn, and the men who ride them.
Nor is the bond that Morpurgo discusses limited by age, gender, or profession. Little Emilie becomes deeply attached to both Topthorn and Joey; for a time, the three of them enjoy a life that appears to be almost paradisiacal, compared to the hardships that mark Joey's time on the front lines. Skilled riders, seasoned veterans, and innocent young people are all drawn to the horses, seeing and valuing in these animals the traits of nobility, bravery, and gentleness.
The Futility of War
At the start of the novel, the futile nature of war is dealt with in an abstract sense, with people in the farming community talking about news from the front and young men preparing to depart from England. The people in Albert's area hope that the war will solve problems and be an efficient route to victory. Later, as the young men do not come home and more sons are sent to the front, the futility of the battle starts to become entirely clear.
When Joey is riding with the German artillery, he develops a bond with Friedrich, a man who is technically an "enemy" of the British; apparently, the soldiers in both armies are essentially the same and are killing each other for reasons that they do not understand or believe in. This idea is reinforced after Joey escapes the battlefield and becomes trapped in "No Man's Land": soldiers from both sides work together to free him, getting to know each other and finding much common ground as they do so. The fact that these men—who cooperate effectively and who have a great deal in common—return to their trenches and resume shooting at each other is a perfect example of the futility of their situation. They are not true enemies, but they are given orders to kill as though they were.
The Bonds Between Animals
Although the bond between Albert and Joey is the central relationship in Morpurgo's novel, the spirit of sympathy and cooperation that arises between the different horses is remarkable in its own way. Joey sees the animals who toil alongside him almost as the human characters see their closest comrades. Topthorn, in particular, is a source of solace, motivation, and kindness for Joey, but war is not the only context that shows the compassionate connections that spring up between the animals in War Horse. On Albert's farm, for instance, Zoey exerts a calming and motherly influence that helps Joey adapt to his surroundings.
The Suddenness of Death
It is inevitable that the theme of death would pervade a wartime novel like War Horse, yet Morpurgo's treatment of loss and casualties is remarkable for the suddenness and randomness that death assumes in the narrative. Captain Nichols, Friedrich, and David die abruptly and in the heat of battle, and Topthorn meets his end with somewhat more foreshadowing (since his health has been failing) but in a manner that seems equally quick and arbitrary. It is only luck, perhaps, that keeps Albert and Joey from meeting similar fates. All of these characters are in an environment where death—in the form of a stray shell or a racing bullet—can strike at any moment.
Cooperation
Even in the midst of the horrors of war, the men and animals of War Horse engage in collaborative, constructive work. The most dramatic example of such cooperation is the attempt to rescue Joey from the No-Man's Land: an endeavor which causes a brief cease-fire and leads British and German soldiers to find common ground. Forms of cooperation, of course, exist among the patriotic British, though the British-enlisted men also work together in ways that have little to do with defeating Germans or winning battles. A different, peaceable type of cooperation arises among Albert, his friends, and his superiors in the closing chapters of the novel, when all of them work together to raise the funds that may save Joey's life.
Honoring the Past
The very narrative of War Horse is motivated by a sense of commemoration: as the prologue to the novel explains, Morpurgo's text tells the backstory of a horse (Joey himself) who has been honored with a painting. However, there are other functions that a sense of the past serves in War Horse as well, collectively contributing considerable complexity to the novel. Emilie's grandfather, for instance, attempts to honor his deceased grandchild's memory by finding her beloved horses. Though it is a work of fiction, War Horse can help its readers to understand the heroism of the men and horses who fought in World War II; by admiring Joey, Albert, and their comrades, we pay honor to the real men and the real animals whose virtues these characters represent.
Lost Friends, and Lost Innocence
In War Horse, both Joey and Albert are exposed to a series of shocks that open their eyes to the real dangers and perils of a world consumed by war. Both of these characters once called a peaceful countryside home. Yet both of them discover and deal with the pain of losing close friends, from Topthorn on Joey's part to David on Albert's. Fortunately, Albert and his cherished horse do return to their idyllic home territory, and they do readjust to a lifestyle that is sheltered from most forms of grievous pain. But these characters have learned what it is like to lose individuals whom they cared about, and who cared about them—and they have been exposed to the saddening fact that the world outside Albert's farm has little of the stability and rustic innocence of the farm.
