Theme and message

The main themes of “The Sentry” by Téa Obreht are control, violence, and parental influence on children. Set in a war context, the story explores how the environment we live in, as well as our parents, can influence our actions and development negatively. The story’s themes are enhanced by discussing trauma; the father seems to suffer from a mental condition (possibly caused by a war trauma) and, in his turn, he traumatises his son Bojan by violently shooting Kaiser in front of him.

Control and violence

The theme of control is closely linked to that of violence, as the characters in story try to exercise their dominance and control through violent actions.

For example, the father is a dominant figure for everyone around him. He is a soldier who does sentry duty at a prisoners’ camp where it is suggested people are treated inhumanely. His sentry dog, Kaiser, is aggressive and domineering with everyone (scares neighbours, kills animals, frightens Bojan) except the father. With the father the dog is submissive.

Possibly because he is reknowned for his aggressivity as a soldier in times of war, the father also dominates the neighbours, who do not dare to complain to him directly about his dog. With his son, the father is tough and distant. When Bojan hides behind him out of fear of the dog, he pulls the boy by the sleeve. When Bojan comes home bullied and hurt, the father is disappointed by the boy’...