I Had Seen Castles

I Had Seen Castles
By: Cynthia Rylant

I appreciated Cynthia Rylant’s historical fiction novel I Had Seen Castles. I thought it captured the many different faces of World War II - the over anxious green soldier, the sacrificing father, the supportive yet terribly worried mother, as well as the outspoken anti-war character of Ginny. I know many authors accomplish the task of bringing the perspectives of history through the life of characters, but I thought Rylant’s historical fiction text was superb! I am not a history buff, nor is historical fiction my favorite genre, but Rylant impressed and inspired me to give historical fiction another look as I browse book genres.

I have to admit, when I first picked up the book, I was surprised to learn that Rylant chose to write a historical fiction story on WWII. In our experiences with Rylant this semester, I had the feeling that her stories revolved around the family, home, as well as her Appalachian background. But, as I read the book, I realized her themes are still present… each character of the family supported the war in a different manner, exhibiting the patriotism in WWII. Furthermore, in Rylant’s interview at the end book, I read that Rylant based her story I Had Seen Castles from a WWII veteran interview she herself had read in a newspaper – an interview she was moved by and thought should be told. I commend Rylant’s motivation to tell such a story, and in my opinion to step a outside of the picture book work I am familiar with, to tell a story that captured the faces and emotions of war.

I took John’s character to heart throughout the text. My heart ached with him as he longed to turn 18, to enlist in the army, and honorably serve our country. Of course, my personal life helped me to connect to the feelings and emotions wrapped around John’s character. Aaron (my boyfriend) just returned home from a 6 month deployment in Iraq. In August, I remember trying to say goodbye, and just crying. I couldn’t fathom the affects warfare would have on him, and feared what road lie ahead for him in the desert. I remember not knowing what to say as I hugged him goodbye, and just crying even when I promised myself and him I was strong. It is for this reason I can only imagine how comforting and inspiring Ginny’s words were “you (John) will be an old man.” We all know what it feels like to have someone believe in us, can you imagine how profound this phrase was for a young man heading to war? “I (John) would regard them as sacred prophecy, and later, later, when my own weak heart could not gather enough will to live, when I felt at times I would surely die and even wished to die, I would remember that Ginny had said I would one day be an old man. And I lived for her” (pg 52). WOW! That is too sweet! As an outsider, I was so relived to know that even though Ginny did not support the war, her powerful words influenced him, giving him the courage and strength to persevere during war. In the same regard, however, I had a difficult time understanding why John did not go to Smithfield to find Ginny after he returned from war. On page 94, John proclaims that he wanted to proclaim his gratitude to her, how their experiences graciously pulled him through the war… but yet he never wanted to find her??? In the text, it reports that John was too weak and didn’t have enough resolve. Even if Ginny and John did not work out as couple, I still wished he would have found her in Smithfield and thanked her for the love and support she provided him. I wonder if anyone else wishes John would have gone to Smithfield to find her, or I am just a hopeless romantic?

Nonetheless, I am pleased I broadened my genre horizon and read Cynthia Rylant’s historical fiction, for her work continues to be nothing less than impressive!