Warlight

Nathaniel Williams is the 28-year-old protagonist and first-person narrator who writes his memoir to cope with the trauma of being abandoned by his parents when he was 14 years old. Raised by strangers, Nathaniel feels like a stranger to himself and harbors a persistent suspicion that he is in danger. Nathaniel’s isolation and distrust represent a critique of the adult world and the legacies of war. Even though World War II officially ended, Nathaniel’s continued experiences of disruption and uncertainty highlight the impact of war on children and their sense of powerlessness and invisibility.

As Nathaniel adjusts to his parents’ absence and feelings of alienation, he also develops a sense of independence and freedom on his path to adulthood. Part 1 of the novel resembles the bildungsroman genre, where Nathaniel experiences belonging with his co-workers and is initiated into adult topics from Mr. Nkoma’s stories. Of his time at the Criterion, he writes, “I was fifteen years old now and I loved it” (36). In his delinquent adventures with The Darter, Nathaniel learns how to work reliably and independently. With Agnes, he is introduced to sex, love, and the struggles of the working class.