The First Casualty

The First Casualty

infobox Book |
name = The First Casualty
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = Ben Elton
cover_artist =
country = United Kingdom
language = English
series =
genre = Historical novel
publisher = Bantam Press
release_date = 2005
media_type = Print (Hardback)
pages =
isbn = ISBN 0-593-05111-4

"The First Casualty" is a novel by the British author Ben Elton. A historical drama set during the First World War, specifically the Third Battle of Ypres, "The First Casualty" revolves around Douglas Kingsley, previously an Inspector for Scotland Yard, now imprisoned for being a conscientious objector. He is called upon to investigate the murder of an officer by another soldier.

Plot summary

Throughout the book, the reader becomes aware of tension and conflict which arises between Douglas Kingsley and the reader, society, authority and himself. At the beginning of the book, the reader sees Kingsley as arrogant which causes tension between Kingsley and the reader. Elton has however portrayed Kingsley in such a way that the reader is compelled to read on. Society appears as a lesser form of conflict but it does trigger a response from Kingsley especially when he is in Wormwood Scrubs and in court. Authority is represented by Captain Shannon who epitomises, in Kingsley's eyes, everything that is wrong with the war. The tension that brews between them is colourful. However the most important form of conflict and tension is that within Kingsley himself, because of his actions, Kingsley has lost his wife and son; an unimaginable sacrifice which Kingsley has to deal with. There is also inner tension regarding Kingsley's views of the war as he is gradually compelled to view the war through the eyes of the men he refused to fight with.

Characters in "The First Casualty"

*Inspector Kingsley
*Captain Shannon
*Agnes Kingsley
*Nurse Murray


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