The Boy Comes Home A.A.Milne - summary

The Boy Comes Home

A.A.Milne

“The Boy Comes Home” is a comedy that discusses many serious issues in a light manner. The title refers to a boy who has come back to his home after some years. The first theme is the conflict between generations. Uncle James who thinks highly of discipline is disappointed when Philip does not follow it. Philip, the representative of the young, wishes to enjoy his freedom after four years of strict discipline at the war front.

Philip is a young man of 23. He lives with Uncle James who is his patron. He has returned home after four years of war. Philip gets up late in the morning because he has just come home the previous night. He calls the maid Marry and asks her to bring breakfast for him. Uncle James keeps a strict discipline in the house. According to his orders, breakfast is served at eight. Philip has problem with Mary because of this. Philip handles her very cleverly.

Aunt Emily is very much impressed and tells Uncle James that Philip is mature and responsible. The war has greatly affected Philip’s personality. Before going to the war, Philip was just like an inexperienced boy. Now he is like a grown up man. Before going to the war, he used to do what he was asked to do. Now he makes his own decisions and nobody can dictate him. Army has taught him something. He is different now.

Uncle James comes to see Philip. He wants to ask him to join his jam business. But just before Philip’s entry into the room, he goes to sleep. In his dream, he meets Philip. He orders him to join jam business. However, Philip wants to learn some profession. Uncle James thinks that Philip is just like a schoolboy and he cannot choose a career for himself. To prove that he is mature, Philip relates his experience at Somme during the war.

It happened that Philip’s company was in a trench. The German knew about them. The Germans killed the company commander. After his death, now Philip was the company commander. They had lost about half the company by that time. It was a very difficult situation and he had great responsibility on his shoulders. Lives of many soldiers depended on him. He took a very mature and responsible decision. He moved the company to the other trench. Then he went back to the C.O. and told him that he had moved. That incident and responsible of many lives changed him as a matured man of aged 25 or 35 or even 45.However, Uncle James still insists on his own decision. He threatens to use the power of the purse. At this, Philip takes out a revolver and a bomb out of his pocket and frightens Uncle James to death. He agrees to do what Philip wants.

In the meanwhile, Uncle James wakes up. He is now a changed man. When Philip actually comes to talk to him, he is rather confused and repeats the same things what Philip has said in his dream. He behaves in a very appropriate and considerate way to Philip. He asks him if wants to be an architect but Philip is not interested in it. Later Philip agrees to join the jam business. Uncle James is not sure about his dream.