In this paper, written for English 220 by Andrew Dimond in November 1982, the author explores themes of terrorism, innocence, personalities, and relationships. The piece begins with an investigation of the character, Miro. The author discusses Miro's early life in the terrorist camp - his education and indoctrination into the mindset of terror. From Miro's own perception, however, he is a freedom fighter and a hero. Standing opposed to Miro is Ben - an orphan of another sort. Similarly indoctrinated into patriotism, Ben's entire life has been subsumed by the general's prerogatives. Both have grown into conditioned believers - in both cases 'deprived children become depriving adults.'
In this article, Mary Shaner explores two pieces - Robert Cormier's After the First Death and Peter Dickinson's The Seventh Raven. Both novels look closely at the plight of children as victims of terrorist attacks. Both books also look more deeply at teenage protagonists who are under pressure from their elders to act in a specific way. Bravery also comes into play - both perceptions of bravery and the need to be brave. Both novels offer a portrayal of terrorists as people, and both offer sympathetic characters. A central theme, shared by both books, is that of integrity, which sometimes comes at the cost of humanity.