Themes In Escape From Warsaw Essay, Research Paper
A widely used literary term that typically portrays a particular theme in a novel is the
symbol. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Ian Serrailier?s Escape from Warsaw. This
historical fiction is a great example of the use of literary terms in literature. One of the
main themes demonstrated is the theme of hope. He uses a silver sword to demonstrate
this in three ways. One is when Jan and Joseph talk in the house and Joseph tells Jan his
story. The next is when Jan leaves behind the sword on the mantle at the Wolff?s house.
The last is when Jan loses his treasure box but manages to keep the sword.
During World War II, many families were separated and few were reunited. These
stories were often too common. In this story, after Jospeph comes back to his house and
finds Jan there, he sees the opportunity to find his children in Warsaw. With the sword as
a guide, Jan set out to find the children, but the powers of the sword had yet come into
action.
Sometimes when hope seems gone, the biggest revelations occur out of will.
Joseph had lost all hope through time in finding his children because of the low chance of
his plan working. He had taken every precaution to heighten his chances, but finding his
children in a city full of lost children was a lost cause. Jan had faith in the sword and was
convinced it would be their savior. The sword came through for everyone when Jan found
the kids, but one of the biggest miracles was yet to come.
Although a situation may occur when hope is hard to come by, the best things
happen. When the family seemed so close to the end, a problem arose. They were caught
up in a storm on the day of their reuniting of the family. The storm is symbolic of their
troubles and hardships along the way. This is the final test of the swords power. At the
end it comes through by not only getting all of the members through alive, but manages to
be the only thing saved from Jan?s treasure box.
Through the examples of the swords? bringing hope to the family by reuniting
them, getting them through hard times, and starting a 3 year search, the sword represents
well, a small amount of hope that is brought to a happy reality. People have many
?symbols? today that represent their struggles. Many keep items kept in bad accidents just
to remind them how lucky they were. Just about everyone has something that represents
their own story.