Fictionalizing Wars in the 20th Century: John Hersey’s Hiroshima, Ghassan Kanafani’s Return to Haifa, Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind

Abstract

This paper scrutinizes some novels that fictionalize wars that broke out during the 20th century. The study argues that the negative impacts of war are comprehended better when intertwined with fiction. The study is implemented through a qualitative descriptive approach. The paper focuses on many novels, including John Hersey’s Hiroshima (1946), Ghassan Kanafani’s Return to Haifa (1945), Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind (1936). The objective of the paper is to caution against war and unveiling its barbarities. The paper is significant because it is a far cry not to reiterate the black pages of history. The paper tackles the following themes: wars, agony, and colonialism.