In the beginning of My Brother Sam is Dead, Tim Meeker is dutiful, obedient to his parents, and impressionable about his older brother Sam. Tim starts out innocent and naïve, and conflicted and confused about war. He’s obedient to his parents by doing his daily chores and listening to what they tell him to do. He’s impressionable about his brother because he’s always trying to do something glorious or heroic that may impress him. He’s innocent and naïve because the war has not yet affected him. He’s conflicted and confused when his brother leaves his family to go fight in the Revolutionary War. In My Brother Sam is Dead, Tim Meeker learns that glory is an illusion because he witnesses first hand how values degenerate during war.
Sam is always looking for glory. Tim at first sees Sam as glorious, but learns that glory is an illusion. He learns this because Sam has always tried to seek ways of glory. He’s joined the war against his father’s wishes, and loves to score telling points in a debate. He never loses his illusion of glory but Tim does. He’s lost his illusion because he witnesses people dying.
Tim witnesses first hand how values degenerate during war. Tim loses his illusions about glory and war because he’s witnessed Ned being killed, his friend Jerry taken, and a messenger is shot. His father is taken by British soldiers and killed. His brother Sam is also arrested and accused of stealing cattle and then later executed as an example to the troops. Tim sees no glory in any of this and remains bitter about it for the rest of his life.
