Reflections of Jones’s Life in War Trilogy

Abstract

Jones is considered to be the premier novelist of World War II. His trilogy of war novels, From Here to Eternity, The Thin Red Line, and Whistle have often been cited as his best works. From Here to Eternity is more than merely a famous novel. It is an entertaining exposition of not only what military service does to men, but also what it emotionally did to Jones. Jones initially writes From Here to Eternity to cover the entire trilogy’s time period, but later he split that into three related works. From Here to Eternity covers Army life in pre-Pearl Harbour, The Thin Red Line follows the same character archetypes into combat, and Whistle describes the post-Guadalcanal return of the first war wounded to hospitals in the states. Quest for freedom and individual liberty is the root of Jones's themes; ultimately his protagonists attain personal integrity. This paper mainly focuses on the evolution of the soldier in the army life and the reflection of author’s life in his work through the characters.