Disenchantment · Chapter
V: The Sheep That Were Not Fed explained
This chapter examines the role of army chaplains on the Western Front, contrasting the ideal of spiritual guidance with the reality of chaplains who were often more concerned with being 'one of the men' than with offering genuine religious
What happens
This chapter examines the role of army chaplains on the Western Front, contrasting the ideal of spiritual guidance with the reality of chaplains who were often more concerned with being 'one of the men' than with offering genuine religious counsel. It profiles various types of chaplains, from the heroic T. B. Hardy to the jolly, bloodthirsty ex-athlete curate, and explores the common soldier's ambivalent relationship with religion. The chapter also follows a typical working-class English recruit who puts his Christianity 'in a drawer' for the duration of the war, only to be killed before he can retrieve it, and reflects on how war both generates raw spiritual material and renders conventional doctrinal products inadequate.
Themes in this chapter
Disillusionment and Disenchantment
The chapter details the soldiers' disillusionment with organized religion and chaplains, who fail to provide meaningful spiritual guidance amid the horrors of war, leading to a sense of disenchantment with institutional faith.
Critique of Authority and Institutions
The chapter offers a sharp critique of the army chaplaincy as an institution, portraying chaplains as either inept, bloodthirsty, or more concerned with social acceptance than with their spiritual duties, undermining their authority.
Loss of Innocence and Illusion
The soldier who puts his religion 'in a drawer' exemplifies the loss of innocent faith; the war forces him to set aside his Christian principles, and his death before he can retrieve them symbolizes the permanent loss of that innocence.
Propaganda and Deception
The chaplains' bloodthirsty rhetoric and attempts to mimic the soldiers' callousness are depicted as a form of self-deception and propaganda, masking the true horror of war with jingoistic fervor.
Characters to notice
- Unknown Narrator
The narrator observes and comments on the various types of chaplains and the soldiers' attitudes toward religion, providing a critical perspective on the chaplains' attempts to connect with the men.
- Hardy
Mentioned as the heroic and saintly chaplain T. B. Hardy, who earned multiple military decorations and was invited by the King to become a royal chaplain, but chose to remain in France until his death.
- Matthew Arnold
Referenced in the phrase 'l'homme moyen sensuel of Matthew Arnold' to describe the average private soldier's attitude toward church parades.
- Tolstoy
Mentioned as an example of someone in whose mind the disturbing teachings of Christ 'go off, with seismic results,' alongside St. Francis.
- St. George
Implied in the reference to 'the plucked Golden Bough' and the enduring power of Christ's teachings, though not directly named.
- Christ
Central to the chapter's discussion of the soldier who puts his Christianity away; Christ's teachings on wealth, war, and loving enemies are described as 'disconcerting bombs' that remain permanently disturbing.
Key passages
“I've been a Christian all my life, but this war is a bit too serious.”
A New Army recruit decides to set aside his religious beliefs for the duration of the war, feeling that the conflict's demands override his Christian principles.
This quote encapsulates the theme of putting faith on hold, illustrating the tension between religious conviction and the perceived necessities of war.
“A great and strong wind, but the Lorrd was not in the wind.”
After a fiery sermon by a famous chaplain, a Scottish sergeant dryly quotes the Bible to suggest that the chaplain's bombastic rhetoric lacked genuine spiritual substance.
This paraphrase highlights the soldiers' critical view of chaplains who rely on thunderous language rather than authentic spiritual connection.
“They got hold o' something... Look at the Salvation Army legging along in the mud and their eyes fair shining with happiness! Aye, they got on to something.”
The soldier expresses admiration for the Salvation Army's evident joy and purpose, contrasting it with the empty formalism of other religious practitioners.
This quote reveals the soldier's respect for authentic faith and his intention to investigate it after the war, underscoring the chapter's theme of searching for genuine spirituality.
