Field of Tears

This study guide will help you analyze the short story “Field of Tears” by Declan J Connaughton. You can also find a summary of the text, as well as inspiration for interpreting it and putting it into perspective.

Presentation of the text

Title: “Field of Tears” (2011)
Author: Declan J Connaughton
Genre: Short story

Declan J Connaughton is an Irish writer and actor. He started writing at the age of 10 and has since published various articles, short stories, plays, and poems in different publications in Ireland. Connaughton is currently working on his first novel.

Excerpt

Below, you can read an excerpt from our study guide:

Symbols

The most important symbol in the story is the field, which has different meanings for different characters. Rita, who has grown up in a peaceful Ireland and who has not experienced the horrors of war, sees the field as a symbol of nature’s beauty. She sees it as an “untouched” land of “unspoilt beauty”, and is oblivious to the fact that it was the place where her grandfather first killed a man in his youth. For De Burca, the field is a symbol of war, pain, and guilt, which reminds him of the horrors he has witnessed or caused as a soldier. Moreover, the field also becomes a symbol of duty, as soldiers were forced to carry out orders even if this meant killing fellow Irishmen.