Identify one or more themes in chapter 19

1.gambling in horse races
2.seasons change main characters’ life change as season changes
3.fame they discussed a lot about there army experience

1.Gambling
Mr. and Mrs. Meyers bet on the first horse in the horse race with money.
2. Love
“I have some things for my boys, you’re all my boys, you certainly are my dear boys”. “Those dear boys, you too, you’re one of my boys”. This represents the love from Mrs. Meyers which is the relationship between two generations. There is also love between lovers. “I’ll love you always.” “I’ll love you in the rain and in the snow and in the hail”
3. Glory
“I’m going to be a captain for merit of war.” “Three stars with the crosses swords and crown above” Soldiers desire higher military rank so they will try their best to kill more enemies which make the war more horrible. Sometimes they will even make up stories just like Henry’s injury before.
4. Nationalism
“You’re just a top from Frisco.” “He can’t pronounce Italian.”

Theme 1 : Self-conceit
Henry met a man called Ettore. Ettore won a lot glory during the war, however, when Henry came back home, he and Catherine consented that Ettore was not a really pleasant man. Henry thought Ettore a ‘legitimate’ hero. Ettore was self-conceit. Though he won many badges, he was a hero made by the war. War is a foul thing, so the glory stem from war may not be real glory because its source is not good. If there wasn’t a war, Ettore wouldn’t be a hero because his self-conceit is not the quality that made up a hero.
Theme 2 : Love
In the late part of this chapter, Catherine feared the rain and Henry comforted her. In this plot, love is a refuge. Love in this book is the temporary refuge for both Henry and Catherine. With Henry, Catherine can escape the fear of raining. With Catherine, Henry can escape the war and just enjoy the happiness of normal people. “She was crying. I comfort her and she stopped crying. But outside it kept on raining.”

1. Gambling
Mr. and Mrs. Meyers bet on horse races
2. Love
Some plots about Catherine and Henry...
3. Glory patriotism
the will of killing enemies and gain glory.

In my opinion, there should not be so many themes in a single chapter, because the author wouldn't be trying to convey certain message for no purpose. I mean, the change of season? The rain? The gambling? Vanity? How could these count as themes, what is the definition of "theme" anyway? They are merely a part of the story, a rain is a rain, it's not a theme. Or else everything are themes. However, if I have to name one, I would say it is the love between Henry and Catherin. They two wanted to be close, but they couldn't get too intimate, not even as nurse and patients, just in case others got suspicious. And at the ending of the chapter, in the rain, they had a heart-to-heart conversation, along with the pouring rain, which is very warm and touching. Love just can't be hidden.