What does the war backdrop do to Devon's sheltered world?

• A. It accelerates the boys' academic success.
• B. It causes them to become more careless with rules.
• C. It creates a sense of fragility and danger that undercuts their carefree adolescence.
• D. It has no effect on their perceptions.

Answer: (C)

The war backdrop tests how sheltered adolescence can be when real danger intrudes. With news of enlistment, possibility of injury, and even death right outside their routine, Devon’s safe, rule-bound world suddenly feels provisional. That tension makes their carefree days seem temporary and their friendships more fragile. Leper’s enlistment—and later his desertion—shows how the adult world’s pressures spill into their lives, threatening the innocence and simplicity they’ve relied on. In short, the war presence shatters the sense that life at Devon will stay safe and predictable, replacing it with a palpable fragility and a growing awareness of risk and responsibility.