Reflection on “War” by Luigi Pirandello

 If I had to describe how this short story made me feel in one word I would say surprised—surprised by the confrontational conversation that takes place inside the “stuffy and smoky second-class carriage,” surprised by the competitive dynamic between the characters as they try to quantify each others losses, surprised by how relatable the feelings of loss were to me even though I have never come close to experiencing that level of pain, surprised by how real the setting felt despite it being so foreign, and surprised by how despite the strange behaviour of the parents, their behaviour felt simultaneously oddly familiar. It was only at the end when Pirandello writes “and, to the amazement of everyone, [he] broke into harrowing, heart-rendering, uncontrollable sobs,” did I realise why this was—“War” is ultimately a reflection on the human condition. Pirandello’s view of human nature is a sad and lonely one. Through his depiction of the scene in the carriage, as parents argue who is in the worst position, Pirandello shines a light on our inherently competitive nature. The loss of their sons, something that should bring these strangers together, ultimately tears them apart. Pirandello confronted me with the sad reality that we are often blind to our common humanity because our instincts have become to focus on our differences as opposed to our similarities. It feels strange to describe the final moment in this short story as beautiful but that is what it is. For in this moment where the man breaks down, “to the amazement of everyone,” they are reminded not only of their commonality, but also that no cause, no justification, no duty to a "country" will make the loss of a child any less heart breaking and profoundly painful, and that is a sentiment they can all share.