How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
War, he had thought, must give men that same feeling of strength and fulfillment. He had sympathized with Tom and Eb, and he had been angered at his father's command for silence when they grew loud and vehement in their demands for war.
Suddenly he was deeply troubled. He groped toward an understanding of something that was far beyond the excitement of guns and shouting men; but he could not find words to define what he felt, and that lack left him in a turmoil of frustration. (2.27-78)
Jethro's perspective of the war at this point is very juvenile. But then again, he's still a child. However the reality of war is more than kids playing guns in the street, which may be the reason Matt gets so angry when Tom and Eb get overexcited about the war. Certain aspects of war can only be understood in time. But this is a coming-of-age tale, so Jethro's covered on that one.
Quote #2
"I don't know if anybody ever 'wins' a war, Jeth. I think that the beginnin's of this war has been fanned by hate till it's a blaze now; and a blaze kin destroy him that makes it and him that the fire was set to hurt. There oughtn't to be a war, Jeth; this war ought never to ha' bin." (3.26)
Wise words courtesy of Bill. According to him, the war started long before, well, the actual war. This might also explain Ross Milton's position later on that peace is not a "perfect pearl." We'd be interested to hear Bill's solution for how to avoid war when it beginnings are "fanned by hate." Is it avoidable?
Quote #3
"There wouldn't be any question about it if it weren't for this war," he said, after a moment with his own thoughts. "I'd be willing to wait years for Jenny, but when I think of leaving her, maybe for—a long time—I guess panic hits me a little." (4.77)
There's something about the war that makes Shad unsure about the future, which isn't unique to him at all. In the real world, there are hundreds of stories throughout history of soldiers marrying their hometown sweethearts before leaving for war.