Zappos

Jimmy Duong

Period 2

Lieutenant Henry is a young American ambulance driver serving in the Italian Red Cross during World War I. Henry is not a hero in the conventional sense of the term. Henry places no premium on values such as duty, honor, glory and courage. There are a lot of men in the world who prefer death and there are other men who prefer dishonor; Lt. Henry is uncertain about his faith, which is the biggest problem he faces. In the novel, Lt. Henry is torn between the sacred and the profane, though Lt. Henry struggles with the sacred and the profane, but his actions ultimately pulls him on the side with profane more than the sacred.

In the beginning novel, Lt. Henry already struggles with the sacred and the profane. In the mess hall, Lt Henry is sitting with the lieutenant, the captain and the priest. The captain makes fun of the priest while the priest sits there and blushes. The subject changes from the priest to where Lt. Henry will go for his leave, “He ought to go to Capri’/ ‘I would like you to see Abruzzi and visit my family at Capracotta,’ said the priest” (pg8). The captain and the lieutenant suggested Lt. Henry to go to the city. The captain tells Lt. Henry to find prostitutes; whereas the priest suggested him to visit the priest’s family, peaceful and quiet and was away from the war. Lt. Henry struggles to decide whether to go with the captain’s and the others’ idea to go to the city or go to Abruzzi whom the priest suggested. In the end, Lt. Henry went to the city for his leave; this was a choice between the sacred and the profane, Lt. Henry chooses profane.

The Characters in the novel shape Lt. Henry faith and pushes toward one side which is the sacred and the profane. Rinaldi, a good friend of Lt. Henry, represents the profane love which is nothing but lust and results in syphilis. Rinaldi is overwork because he is a very good surgeon. Rinaldi is weighed down by the pressure of working round the clock. Lt. Henry goes to see Rinaldi...