Since The Returning is set in the wake of a war, military duty is not just a formality—it is a safeguard against massive uprisings from the Downlanders. It's also a way for people to protect their families and way of life. But military duty isn't the only thing driving characters in this book—there are familial and personal duties that surface as well.
Duty often allows one to act thoughtlessly and simply follow orders, but in The Returning, one's sense of duty becomes a true burden to carry. As the characters try to sort out difficult moral questions, it is unclear whether they are serving a higher obligation by doing their duty or simply hiding behind it.
Questions About Duty
- Both Graceful and Gyaar say they are marrying out of obligation, rather than love. Why do they each go through with it? Is it fair for everyone to expect them to get hitched for the sake of the country?
- How does Cam understand his duty to fight? Is his duty to Gyaar different? Why or why not?
- Who is the least dutiful character in The Returning? Who is the most dutiful character in The Returning?
- Without the sense of duty, would Gyaar have killed Cam? Would he rule in his father's place?
Chew on This
Cam is less motivated by duty than by a sense of responsibility—he doesn't act as he does because he has to, but because he wants to.
Gyaar feels compelled to go to war and marry Graceful simply because of his duty to his father. Without his dad's pressure, Gyaar would not have gone through with these decisions.