Image by Myriams-Fotos from Pixabay
I have been reading Michael
Morpurgo’s stories for over a decade now, and what I appreciate most about his works
is that they make me think about important issues. A lot of his books deal with war, such as in Toro! Toro! or the classic War Horse.
And although these stories are works of fiction, they are based on historical events.
I have been personally challenged to reevaluate my beliefs about war after reading
Morpurgo’s stories.
An Eagle in the Snow
is another such book. War is a major aspect of the story, and we see depictions
of the suffering that the killings and bombings caused during both world wars. But
more than anything, I believe an overarching theme in this story is the strength
of mercy.
The book follows the
story of Billy (based on a real soldier in WWI named William Tandey). In the
story, he spares the life of a German soldier after a successful attack. So
many men had already died that day, on both sides, and he did not think the man
was a threat. Many years later, though, he realizes that the man he had spared was
none other than Adolf Hitler. He becomes consumed with guilt over his part in
allowing Hitler to live and cause terrible suffering. Eventually, this drives
him to create a new plan – one which involves doing what he thinks he should
have done earlier. To kill Hitler.
But even then, he cannot
do it.
The reader is left to
decide what he or she thinks about Billy’s choice. Was he right in showing
mercy? Should we fight evil with evil, or is mercy and a dedication to goodness
more powerful?
Too often, I think people
view compassion and mercy as weaknesses. We might be tempted to read the story
of Billy and assume he was a coward. Surely, the hero should slay the villain!
Often, they do. As I
thought about this story, though, I could not help but think of another story
with themes of mercy, written by a man who served in WWI and lived through both
wars. I am reminded of how, in J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings,
Frodo regretted Bilbo’s sparing of Gollum’s life. He was convinced that Bilbo
should have killed the terrible creature when he had the chance. But then
Gandalf shares his wisdom.
As he says, “Pity? It was
Pity that stayed his hand. Pity, and Mercy: not to strike without need … Many that
live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them?
Then do not be too eager to eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the
very wise cannot see all ends. I have not much hope that Gollum can be cured
before he dies, but there is a chance of it. And he is bound up with the fate
of the Ring. My heart tells me that he has some part to play yet, for good or
ill, before the end; and when that comes, the pity of Bilbo may rule the fate
of many – yours not least” (Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring, 65-66).
Did Hitler, like Gollum,
deserve death? Yes, but as Gandalf said, there are many who deserve to die but live.
Evil people often thrive in the world while those who seek to do right die. The
real question is what are we to do with the evil we see around us? We can
either multiply it by choosing to fight evil with evil or seek to do good with
the time we have been given. To cultivate healing and light in our broken, dark
world.
There is more strength
and virtue in showing mercy than in demonstrating force. The mercy that held
Billy’s hand that day was the same mercy that made him pause and help a girl
affected by the war when he was a soldier. And to help his friends when they
were injured. Likewise, the pity of Bilbo influenced Frodo, who came to pity Gollum,
and even Saurman and Wormtongue.
Of course, we should not remain
silent about evil but name it for what it is. We need to speak up against injustice
and oppression, serving as a voice for the voiceless. However, we are meant to
overcome evil with good. As 1 Peter 3:9 says, “Do not repay evil with evil or
insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this
you were called so that you may inherit a blessing” (NIV).
Choosing to show mercy is
an act of defying the darkness in the world. It does not make us weak. Rather, mercy
is a strength of those who dare to believe that doing good and showing
Christlike love is more powerful than any evil in the world.
Works
Cited
Morpurgo, Michael. An
Eagle in the Snow. Square Fish, 2015.
Tolkien, J. R. R. The
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Del Rey, 2012.
