About the Writer :-
Alan Alexander Milne (18 January 1882 – 31 January 1956) was an English writer best known for his books about the teddy bear Winnie-the-Pooh, as well as for children's poetry. Milne was primarily a playwright before the huge success of Winnie-the-Pooh overshadowed all his previous work. Milne served in both World Wars, as a lieutenant in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment in the First World War and as a captain in the Home Guard in the Second World War.
Milne was the father of bookseller Christopher Robin Milne, upon whom the character Christopher Robin is based. It was during a visit to London Zoo, where Christopher became enamoured with the tame and amiable bear Winnipeg, that Milne was inspired to write the story of Winnie-the-Pooh for his son.
Summary of the Play :-
Summary | The Boy Comes Home
The Boy Comes Home is a light comedy. The title of the play shows that a boy, Philip returns from France, at the end of the Second World War after fighting against Germany. Philip is about 23 years old when comes home to his guardian, uncle James’ house in England.
He is a mature boy and very much depressed after the second world war ended. He hates tough army life and now he wants to enjoy his life freely. He had served the army for four years. When he went to fight against Germany, he was an immature boy of nineteen.
He lacked confidence and courage. At that time he was unaware of the problems of practical life. His late father left for his large property but he could not acquire it until he reached the age of 25. After fighting against Germany, he had become a mature boy.
Moreover, he was free to do any work. So it was because of the effect of war that Philip had become a changed person. The generation gap is the major theme of the play. Uncle James is the representative of the old generation and Philip is the representative of the young generation.
Philip wants to think, work, and act according to his own will, while Uncle James has set some rules in his house. He does not like his rude and bad attitude Philip. Philip demands the money that his father has left for him but his uncle does not give him until the age of 25 years.
Uncle James desires that Philip should join his business of join while Philip wants to be an architect. After the dream scene, Uncle James becomes a changed person. But, Uncle James and Philip develop a healthy relationship.
The greatest value of the new generation is freedom and independence. To maintain and guard freedom, the new generation has fought four years-long war. Hence they prefer freedom to all other values. The greatest value of the old generation is obedience and respect for elders.
Mr. James is a symbolic character who is upholding the old values and social traditions. The point emphasized by the author is that even good social values and traditions become taboos and a burden on society when blindly followed when a sense is taken out of them. It is in fact a conflict between tradition and modernity that goes on side by side in all ages.
Characters of the Play :-
Philip
Philip is a 23 years old young man. His father has died and he comes to his guardian uncle James’ home from the war front after four years. He was an immature person before going to war.
But now he is an experienced man the master of his own will. He gets up late at his uncle’s house and violates all his uncle’s rules and discipline. He thinks of himself as a mature person who learned a lot in the army.
Uncle James
Uncle James is an aged man. He is a strict person by nature. He specified a time schedule for dining and for every type of work. Everything is done on time. He considers Philip as an inexperienced person. That’s why he decided to engage Philip in his business but Philip does not agree with him.
Aunt Emily
Emily is Philip’s aunt. She is of a pleasant nature. She takes very good care of his house and puts the things in a proper arrangement.
Mrs. Higgins
Mrs. Higgins is an old woman. She is appointed as a cook in uncle James’s house. Apparently, she is a strict woman but understands everyone and obeys orders.
Title of the Play :-
The title The Boy comes Home is a story of a boy, Philip who returns from France, at the end of the Second World War after fighting against Germany. Philip is about 23 years old when comes back to his guardian.
He has his uncle James’ house in England. He is a mature boy. He is very much depressed after the Second World War II ended. He hates hectic, monotonous, and tough army life and now he wants to enjoy his life freely.
Themes of the Play :-
Generation Gap – a major theme of the play
The generation gap is an important theme of the play. Uncle James represents the old generation and Philip represents the young generation. Philip intends to think, work and act independently, while Uncle James has given rules in his house.
He does not like his rude and bad attitude Philip. Philip demands the money which his father has left for him but his uncle does not give him until the age of 25 years. Uncle James wishes that Philip should join his business of join while his nephew Philip wants to be an architect. After the dream scene, Uncle James is a changed man now. Both Uncle James and Philip develop a healthy relationship.
The conflict between young and old generation
The greatest value with the new generation presents freedom and independence. The new generation has fought four years-long war to maintain and guard freedom, Hence they prefer freedom to all other values.
The greatest value of the old generation is obedience and respect for elders. Mr. James is a symbolic character who is upholding the old values and social traditions. The point emphasised by the author is that even good social values and traditions become taboos and burdens on society when blindly followed when the sense is taken out of them. It is in fact a conflict between tradition and modernity that goes on side by side in all ages.
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