1917

Background- Character Sketch

CHARACTER SKETCH

Anthony Levi Harvey is a twenty-two year old university student who is finishing up his second year. He lives in a small house in Fort Worth, Texas with his younger sister. In the beginning of the year 1917, President Woodrow Wilson issued a draft for America's participation in World War I. Anthony, who had been working to build a future for his family and fiancée, Joan Chamberlinn, had to leave his hometown to serve his country.

Joan is studying in London, so his younger sister Alice is alone. Alice has been struck with pneumonia, and Anthony had been earning money to pay for her treatment. He asks the married couple Roy and Clair Lawler to watch over his sister and make sure she is okay. As much as he wants to be next to his sister in her time of illness Anthony could not abandon his philosophy that every man should demonstrate a willingness to fight for his country and protect the people he loves.

Mr. Harvey, Anthony's father, had died two years previous and also put in his military time. He left behind his very own pair of dog tags, which his son holds on to during his own journey to the battlefield. Although it might seem childish to the other men, Anthony has a strange superstition that the dog tags from his father bring him good luck. He has many fears, but possibly his largest is never seeing his loved ones again. Anthony does what he can to keep up and stay alive as long as he can so that one day he might have the chance to see everyone again.