The document summarizes Michael Morpurgo's 2003 war novel "Private Peaceful". It describes how the story is told from the perspective of the youngest brother Tommy "Tommo" Peaceful as he remembers his life before World War I. It details how Tommo and his brothers grew up together in their village, but were separated when they enlisted to fight. During the war, Tommo's middle brother Charlie is charged with cowardice for disobeying an order and is sentenced to execution, which Tommo awaits at the beginning of the story. The major themes are the horrors of war, unfairness of life, and the power of family love.

2. About the book
Title: Private Peaceful
Author: Michael Morpurgo
Publication: Harper Collins
Year of Publication: 2003
Intended audience: Older children and the
------------------------------young ones

3. Genre: War Novel
Private peaceful is a novel for older
children by MICHAEL MORPURGO, first published
in 2003.
Although this novel is for older children, it is
also regarded as a great book for young adults.
It’s about a soldier called Thomas peaceful
“Tommo”, who is looking back on his life from the
trenches of World War I in France.

4. Objective:Objective:
The story specially underlines the
senselessness of war and ineptitude of the
commanding officer.
The author’s point of examining the harsh
consequences British imposed on soldiers
who committed acts of “cowardice” and
were summarily executed is one of
understanding and grace.

5. Content:
Structurally, each chapter of the book
brings the reader close to the present until
the story turns to present.
At the beginning of the book we do not
realize that the story is counting down to
the hour when Charlie will be executed for
disobeying orders.

6. Summary
Michael Morpurgo’s novel for older children, Private
Peaceful, published in 2003, is the story of three brother as
told by the youngest brother looking back on his memories of
fighting in WWI.
The story opens with Tommy “Tommo” Peaceful, the
youngest of all, standing watch in the night, waiting for an
event that will happen in the morning.
Tommo is thinking about his life before the Great War. He his
brothers, Big Joe who has a learning disability, and his middle
brother, Charlie. Together he and Charlie looked after Big Joe.

7. Tommo remember the adventures they had together
running around their neighborhood.
They tormented their great-aunt, a woman they refer to
as “Grand Wolf”. They had the privilege of seeing an
airplane together, the first people of their village to do so.
Tommo is in love with Molly with whom he fallen in love
at first sight in school. As they grew up and the war was
spread across Europe, Charlie and Molly begin seeing each
other. Charlie had always looked out for Tommo, bit
Tommo felt left out as Charlie and Molly developed a
secret relationship, which Tommo did not understand.

8. He was heartbroken when Charlie and Molly rushed into
marriage at the local church before he and Charlie signed
up to fight even though they were not old enough.
Tommo forced to head to Belgium to fight, he and Charlie
encounter a sergeant with a terrible demeanor. They call
him “Horrible” Hanley. They move to the front lines of
battle where face the horrors of the war.
Tommo injured, and Charlie is ordered to leave him
behind. When he will not do that, he is charged with
cowardice and disobeying a direct order.
As a result, Charlie is condemned to execution as per the
British army’s strict policy.

9. The last chapter of the book are a countdown to the
moment when Charlie will be executed at dawn. He goes
before the firing squad singing his favorite childhood song.
The novel returns present moment. Charlie and Molly
were expecting a baby – that was reason for their hasty
wedding. When Tommo returns home from the war, he
swears that he will look after Molly and Charlie’s baby,
“Little Tommo”. He promises to take care of their baby, a
continuation of familial love experienced between the
brothers.

10. Overall Evaluation:
The love for the country is seen here. Although Charlie is
forced to join the military when the war starts, both the
brothers feel it is their duty to fight for their country.
The novel also deals with the unfairness of life the way
thing do not always turned out the way one hopes.
The book offers a tender look at family and how war
affects relationships.

11. Why I Like The Book?
I love this book because of the perfect mix of joy and
tragedy.
The novel made up of the perfect combination of
flashbacks and present experiences of Tommo, a soldier
who joins the army a age of 16 to fight the WWI.
The author uses these memories to lay the background
and to build our suspense so that we are unable to look
away when we discover that Charlie is about to die.

12. My favorite Lines:
All I know is that I must survive. I have promise to keep.
I tried to smile back, but no smile come only tears.
With that volley a part of me had died with him.
I could believe only in the hell I was living in, a hell on
earth and it was Man-made, not God-made.

13. Conclusion:
Love is the major theme of the book.
Many different kind of love is presented: there is the love the
brothers feel for one another and their mother.
Love for your life partner.
Love for the country.
It is a tender novel about love and honor.

14. Presented by-
SHIV SUNDER BARIK