A Monday Book Quote
The Importance of Hope: 100 Years Ago – and Today
On this day, 100 years ago, the evacuation of ANZAC soldiers from the Gallipoli peninsula was completed. After eight months locked in an unwinnable struggle with Turkish forces, the remaining men left, in an early morning evacuation which was carefully planned in an attempt to minimise casualties.
When I was planning and writing my own story of these events (1915), I always knew that, since the story was to cover the calendar year, this evacuation would form a suitable end point for the book. But I found it harder to write than I expected.
I really believe that every book should end with the offer of some kind of hope, but (without wanting to give any spoilers) I wasn’t sure where my characters were going to find hope in this evacuation. Yes, those who left were leaving behind months of turmoil and suffering, but they were also leaving behind any chance for a victory, and, importantly, they were leaving the bodies of so many of their mates who were buried there and would never leave. They also didn’t know what lay ahead – while the campaign was over, the war most definitely wasn’t.
I had to dig deep to find hope for my character, Stanley, and for his family and friends. I thought about the fact that those survivors were still alive, and were leaving behind what were likely their worst life experiences to date. I thought about the knowledge for those at home that their loved ones were safe for now. I also thought about little things: the chance for a Christmas parcel from home, looking forward to a shower or a rest, contributing to the ANZAC Book in the last weeks of the campaign and so on.
Why am I so keen to offer hope to my characters? Simple, because I want to offer hope to my readers. Not happy ever after, not artificially fixing everything that goes wrong, but the feeling that even in dark times hope, no matter if it’s the tiniest spark, can be found.
For my character Stanley, and for those soldiers 100 years ago, I hope that they were able to find those moments of hope. And, as Christmas looms for us now as it did for the ANZACS then, I hope you, too, have a sense of hope.
A Monday Book Quote
A Monday Quote
Remembrance Day
Today is Remembrance Day and, like many other people in Australia and around the world, at 11 am I will stop and remember all those who have died in war.
Although we can do this any time, Australians have two particular days on which they do particularly pause to remember – ANZAC Day, April 25 and Remembrance Day, November 11. While the first is important, the special thing about Remembrance Day is that it isn’t just Australians who do it, and it isn’t just Australians we remember. Remembrance Day is observed on the date that the armistice was signed to end hostilities in Word War 1, and is observed around the world – in countries including Canada, Britain, France and more. In the USA it’s known as Veteran’s Day.
I love the idea that around the world people are stopping and thinking of the lives that have been lost, the lives changed, the lives wasted by war. It’s important that we rememember – not to glorify war, not to celebrate ‘victories’ (does anyone ever win in war?) but so that, in remembring the past we remind ourselves of the need to keep working for peace.
All the men, women and children who have died must mean something and, as world citizens, we need to be striving to make the world a better place.
Lest We Forget.
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