The War I Finally Won

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2017

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Summary

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-7

Chapters 8-13

Chapters 14-19

Chapters 20-26

Chapters 27-34

Chapters 35-43

Chapters 44-50

Chapters 51-57

Chapters 58-63

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

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Discussion Questions

Themes

Finding Humanity in a Perceived Enemy

Ruth’s arrival at the cottage means that Ada, Jamie, and Lady Thorton must adjust their perception of what an enemy is, which requires considerable maturity and reflection. “The Germans,” referred to as a homogeneous group, are the cause of the destruction of much of London and Susan’s old cottage, and they are responsible for the deaths of so many beloved friends and family members, including Jonathan Thorton.

Furthermore, the British public has been told to be on high alert for any signs of German spies, one of whom Ada refers to reporting in this novel’s prequel, The War That Saved My Life. As a result, wartime anti-German sentiment is strong. Lord Thorton tries to explain to his wife, Lady Thorton, that Ruth’s family is Jewish and therefore not enemies of Britain. Lady Thorton, who clearly has no knowledge of Hitler’s genocidal program, retorts that “[a] German is a German is a German” (125).

Ruth, a quiet and traumatized young Jewish girl who fled Germany with her parents at the start of the war, challenges the household’s stereotyped perception of Germans as ruthless and bloodthirsty spies and killers. Ada learns about Judaism and wonders, “If Ruth believed in a different God from Hitler, did Hitler and I believe in the same God?” (142). This is a difficult concept for Ada to grapple with. The idea of Hitler, someone inherently evil, believing in God, who is synonymous with goodness, confuses Ada. Ruth’s arrival in the household forces Ada to challenge some of her childish ideas and view the world with more nuance.

Ruth tells Ada, “I hate Hitler as much as you do” (128), then informs the household about the devastating loss of her family’s home, their expulsion from workplaces and schools, and exclusion from public spaces. Characters like Susan and Jonathan Thorton showcase a more worldly and compassionate approach from the start; they appreciate that Ruth is not to blame for Hitler’s actions. Ada eventually learns that Ruth is kind, hard-working, and loyal. Lady Thorton also becomes more considerate toward Ruth and treats Ruth’s parents courteously when they come for Christmas. The broader community’s acceptance of Ruth is symbolized by Mrs. Elliston, who once told Ruth that she found it difficult to trust her but later provides Ruth with lamb while the rest of the household eats pork. The reader learns that Ruth will join her father in important British war work, illustrating that not all Germans support the Nazis.

The Pervasive Consequences of War

The household must operate within the strict confines of wartime rationing. Each person in Britain is allowed only one shilling’s worth of meat per week, and Susan and Ada must cook creatively to feed the household with similarly strict rations of eggs, butter, and sugar. Susan reuses tea leaves, and the household gets chickens and a pig to supplement their meagre rations. Jamie is thrilled to receive secondhand rubber boots for his birthday, as the production of them stopped during the war.

Characters are constantly navigating trauma and tragedy caused by the war. Maggie describes the terror of the telegraph boy arriving at her boarding school. With so many young girls’ fathers and brothers at war, the students’ collective fear was constant, and Maggie describes being fraught with anxiety by the constant arrival of death notices. Only one year into the war, Ada is able to count 10 people she directly knew who have died, including her mother. Stephen White describes the Nazis bombing London “fifty-seven nights straight,” through which he lost his mother and three younger siblings (51). People all over Britain wore black armbands to symbolize the losses of loved ones.

Lady Thorton is moved to tears seeing the obliterated Elsa Street where Ada and Jamie lived with their mother in the East End. Lady Thorton reflects that Ada and Jamie could have been there at the time of the bombing, but the unacknowledged truth is that many others were there at the time and lost their lives.

Lady Thorton’s grief at the death of her son is visceral and devastating. Jamie is scared by Lady Thorton’s grief-stricken silence, and then scared by the extremity of Lady Thorton’s weeping after she witnesses the burned corpse in the Messerschmitt that reminds her of Jonathan’s suffering and death. Ada simply has to tell him that “she’s always going to be sad about Jonathan” (373). The few characters who lose their lives are symbolic of the millions of lives lost during the war. What’s more, Ruth’s grief over the loss of her grandmother emphasizes the global scale of the tragedy, as lives and families across the world were torn apart by World War II.

The Importance of Family

The War I Finally Won suggests that familial love and support is imperative, particularly during times characterized by loss and hardship. When Lady Thorton withdraws into devastated silence thinking about Jonathan’s horrific death, Ada understands that Lady Thorton needs Maggie, her only remaining child. Ada explains to Susan that “Maggie didn’t need to be safe as much as she needed her mother” (372). Ada’s understanding of this stems from her formative experience with Susan, who has become a mother to her. Her instincts prove correct, as upon reuniting with her daughter, “Lady Thorton leaned against Maggie and wept” (372).

Found family proves to be just as imperative as biological family in this story, as is apparent in various interpersonal dynamics. For example, after an initial period of suspicion and mutual hostility, Ada, Maggie, and Ruth grow to love one another as sisters. But this theme of chosen family is most clearly embodied in Susan’s relationship with Ada. Ada spends years too afraid to love Susan, lest she lose her. By the closing chapter, however, Ada casually calls Susan “Mum” (379). By this point, Susan has been a devoted mother to the children for four years, and Ada’s use of this title shows she now loves and trusts Susan completely. Susan’s importance in Ada and Jamie’s lives is also highlighted earlier, when Susan is sick with pneumonia and the children are terrified by the prospect of her possible death. Ada clings to Susan at the hospital in London, crying like she “might never stop” and whispering, “I love you” (350).

Their easy and natural mother-daughter relationship is showcased near the end of the novel when Ada comes into Susan’s room: “I slid into the pocket of warmth beside her. I didn’t say anything. I just breathed, and so did she” (373). This cozy familiarity illustrates Ada’s comfort in Susan’s presence, which is significant given Ada’s initial suspicion and hostility. It also demonstrates that family can come from anywhere, that you can choose who you let into your life. Susan chooses to step into this motherly role, filling the maternal lack in Ada’s life and healing the wounds caused by Mam’s neglect. Thanks to Susan’s consistent and compassionate nurturing, Ada chooses to trust her in turn, and their relationship flourishes into the warm dynamic depicted in the final chapters.

The interaction with Becky’s mother further demonstrates how a family made by choice can provide comfort and closure. Susan repeatedly explains that she is not close with her family and that Becky’s family was not close to her either. Although Susan uses the term “best friend,” it is clear that Becky and Susan were in a loving same-sex relationship that was not accepted by either woman’s family. At the close of the novel, Becky’s mother chooses to accept and love Susan because Becky considered Susan her family. She assures Susan, Ada, and Jamie that she will visit them in Kent and that it will be “good to be among family again” (385). This is a significant and powerful moment of acceptance, one that suggests Becky’s mother will serve as a mother to Susan and a grandmother to Ada and Jamie.