The Fighting Ground

The Fighting Ground 25th Anniversary Edition by Avi

In April of 1778, Jonathan is working with his father in the fields, but his mind is on the war.  His older brother is fighting with General Washington and his cousin has joined a local regiment, but Jonathan is stuck at home with his parents.  His father had gone off to fight, but returned home injured. He’s incredibly frustrated because his father won’t talk about the war. In Jonathan’s 13 year old mind, war means excitement, glory and a fancy uniform, so when the tavern bell begins to ring, he longs to answer the call for soldiers.  His father outright forbids him to go.  His mother sends him to find out if they are in any danger.  Jonathan only thinks of becoming a hero.  He finds a few men from town gathered around a Colonel who is collecting troops to form a surprise attack on Hessian soldiers nearby.  Jonathan borrows a gun from the tavern keeper and joins their group.  The Fighting Ground takes place over the following 24 hours as Jonathan faces his first skirmish, is taken prisoner and ultimately questions if there is any “right” side in war.

Avi does an amazing job of showing exactly how unfit for fighting teenage boys were at the time, both physically and mentally.  The gun is too and heavy for Jonathan.  He’s not fast enough at loading and shooting.  Terror and confusion rule his every move.

Great for: Showing the confusion of war and showing just how unready the young soldiers were for battle.  Over the course of the book, Jonathan learns that “his” side isn’t always right and the enemy isn’t always wrong.  What had seemed so clear to him while he was safe at home is now entirely mixed up.  It’s interesting to notice that his actions during the course of the book also frequently endanger others.

Sex, Nudity, Dating – None.
Profanity – “Damn” at least five times, “by God,”
Death, Violence and Gore – Jonathan’s father was wounded.  Two family members are soldiers.  A neighbor boy died in the war.  A man is shot and falls right in front of Jonathan.  Another shot man traps his gun.  A small child’s parents are shot and the child sits near the bloodied bodies and plays with his dead mother’s hair.  Her dead body is described in some detail, including how some of her teeth are missing, her tongue is black and how during burial some dirt falls in her open mouth.  A boy is used as a hostage/shield.  More soldiers are shot, their bodies fall twisted.
Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking – A man drinks an ale at the tavern.  Some men drink from flasks.
Frightening or Intense Things – A boy is taken prisoner.  I think the most frightening part of The Fighting Ground was that Jonathan (and therefore the reader) is never sure who to trust.