Private Peaceful

Private Peaceful is a novel for older children by Michael Morpurgo, first published in 2003. Although this novel is for older children, it is also regarded as a great book for young adults. It is about a soldier called Thomas "Tommo" Peaceful, who is looking back on his life from the trenches of World War I in France. Structurally, each chapter of the book brings the reader closer to the present until the story turns to present tense. The story especially underlines the senselessness of war and ineptitude of the commanding officer.

It has been described as "an unflinching examination of the horrors of war and the injustice surrounding the execution of soldiers by firing squad, on the – often false – grounds of desertion or cowardice."

The book was adapted into a play of the same name by Simon Reade in 2004. The play was revived in 2014.

A film adaptation of this novel was created in 2012 and was directed by Pat O'Connor.

Plot

The tale is of a young teenager named Tommo Peaceful, who tells the story in account format from the past to the present day events of his experiences. His eldest brother, Big Joe, has learning difficulties and is always looked out for by his younger brothers. The earlier part of the story tells of his doings before the war, the tale of his love for Molly – a beautiful girl he had a lot of feelings with. He met her on his first day at school and grew to love besottedly – and Charlie Peaceful, Tommo's brother.