Patriotism In My Brother Sam Is Dead

The American Revolution was a war of principles, fought between the Loyalists and Patriots. For example, the Loyalists believed that they are against the brutality of war. Instead of fighting with weapons and soldiers end up dying, they wanted to negotiate with the patriots not to fight with them. They feared of losing their fortune, feared chaos, mob rule, and they wanted to avoid treason. Moreover, the Patriots believed and fought for principles of freedom. The Patriots wanted to be able to do whatever they wanted. They wanted to be free from taxes, free from the king, freedom from tyranny, freedom of speech and religion. In the novel, My Brother Sam is Dead, a family struggles with the decision of being a loyalist or patriot. War is

For instance, Tim discovers that his father is taken by the cowboys on their way home from Verplanks Point. “In June of that year 1777, we found out that father was dead….It wasn’t a rebel prison ship, it was a British one”(pg. 164). Tim expected that his father might die from the cowboys because he was previously attacked by them. The irony is the who actually killed Life was the British on a prison ship. Life’s own side killed him. Tim’s upset about what happened to his father and he learns that war is unfair, and innocent people die because of the brutality of war. Loyalty isn’t rewarded or saved. Tim’s decision was to be neutral. He doesn’t want to a line himself with the side that doesn’t respect loyalty just like his father was loyal to the British and they still killed

Sam was executed for cattle theft, and the funny thing is Sam took his own cattle. Tim recalls his brothers death: “They had shot him from so close that his clothes were on fire. He went on jerking with flames on his chest until another soldier shot him again. Then he stopped jerking” (208). Tim expected Sam to die by the British and he thought Sam showed his heroism, bravery, and courage. The irony was Sam was shot for stealing his own cattle. Just like his father, Life, Sam was shot by the side he showed loyalty and devotion too. Sam died a dishonorable death. Tim became melancholy over the innocence of Sam. The generals did not believe Tim’s testimony about the truth. Tim learns that war isn’t fair. Tim came to a conclusion and decided to be neutral. Tim realized that war isn’t always glorious. Tim also realized that war is in fact brutal, senseless, and war tears or demolishes