Literary Analysis Essay

Miro, one of the main characters from Robert Cormier’s novel, After the First death, comes from and fights for a country that was never exactly described throughout the book. Although, the author did leave behind a few clues that help the reader picture certain possibilities. Due to the time the book was published and Miro’s description of his childhood, it is possible to affirm that Miro, Artkin and the rest of the terrorists originate from a Middle Eastern country. A major possibility is Palestine; a country that no longer exists due to the fact its population got banished and lived on in refugee camps. In the other hand, due to the lack of details on the book’s setting, it is impossible to fully confirm Miro’s true nationality. Several details scattered in the book can be used to explain Miro’s origins. One important detail is his description of how women dress in his country. He describes these as beautiful though delicately veiled which suggests women concealed their bodies (pg. 25). This might hint where Miro comes from since women in Middle Eastern countries tend to conceal their bodies with burkas or, in other words, veils. Another hint might be the setting of his childhood. Miro says it takes place in a location submerged in ruble and destruction and where people had to live in refugee camps (pg. 121). This suggests that his homeland was possibly damaged by war and that his people were expelled from their land. Other evidence of this assumption is the fact Miro actually says that his land was “occupied by others” (pg. 122). Miro, during his conversation with Kate also mentions his country is located across the ocean (pg. 120). These are a few details that suggest Miro and the rest of the terrorists came from a Middle Eastern country that was taken over by a different group and his people survived only because of refugee camps.