The story deals with several social issues, however, it prominently questions the usefulness of war as an answer to social problems. At the end of the novel, the protagonist asks whether such a country could be created from an end other than war.
“My Brother Sam is Dead” very intelligently and precisely shows the repercussions of war on a singly involved family. The story also shows how several other people are affected. There is no anti-war message in the story. It also gives the details of the maturation of a boy who really admires and idolizes his older brother.
Several of the characters in the novel have been taken from history. In the epilogue, the authors explain how they have tried to recreate the effects of war on Tory family.
