The Pull of the Stars

When Julia and Dr. Lynn have a chance to talk in the doctor’s makeshift office, Dr. Lynn gives some reasons why she thinks Ireland should be an independent nation and why she’s involved in protests to gain Ireland’s independence from British rule. The doctor also explains that the police are searching for her because they think she’s involved in a gun-running operation but that this is all a conspiracy and is just an excuse to arrest Dr. Lynn and her fellow protesters. Julia wonders if this could be true, and figures that Dr. Lynn admitted to taking part in an earlier violent uprising, so it’s unlikely that she’d lie about this. This moment opens Julia’s eyes to the possibility of the authorities making up lies and conspiracies just to arrest and silence rebels. Julia tells Dr. Lynn she doesn’t agree that the rebels should use violent methods of protest, saying, “But to found a nation on violence?” (209). To that, Dr. Lynn points out, “Has any nation ever been founded otherwise?” (209). The doctor argues that people in Ireland are often poor and that “they die anyway, from poverty rather than bullets” (209). Julia still thinks, “I just don’t understand how a physician could have turned to the gun” (209). Julia condones nonviolence and tries not to get into politics, but Dr. Lynn’s arguments give Julia new perspective on these political issues. Finally, Dr. Lynn asks if Julia’s brother returned from the war healthy. Julia admits that her brother, Tim, is now mute due to psychological trauma. Dr. Lynn comments that “if he’s been to hell and back, how could he not be left altered?” (210). Although Dr. Lynn doesn’t say it outright, she disagrees with the fact that so many young Irish men have had to fight in the war on the British Army’s behalf. The British use of young Irish men as soldiers is just one way they abuse the people of Ireland, in Dr. Lynn’s opinion. She thinks that the British are misgoverning and mistreating the Irish people.

Poverty is another major issue that the novel addresses. Julia and the other nurses often see malnourished patients come in and try to give them enough tea and food during their stay in the hospital to help them regain their strength. Dr. Lynn considers the widespread poverty and poor living conditions a result of misgovernment under British rule. She comments that Mary’s baby, despite being born healthy, will “have less chance of surviving her first year than a man in the trenches” (208) and explains, “Infant mortality in Dublin stands at fifteen percent—that’s what living in the dampest, most crowded housing in Europe will do” (208). Dr. Lynn says that the death rate is even higher for illegitimate children. Later, when Sister Luke arrives to take over in the ward during the night and hears about Honor’s new baby, she comments, “Often don’t last long, poor things, as if they know they’re not wanted” (231). At first, Sister Luke’s judgmental tone bothers Julia, but then she thinks, “[H]adn’t Dr. Lynn quoted a similar statistic about the mortality of children born out of wedlock?” (231). Childhood mortality is a major problem in Ireland due to widespread poverty, and the risk is even higher for children of unwed mothers with limited resources. This is just one example of the effects of poverty in 1918 Ireland.