Front Lines Quotes

Introduction

Front Lines by Michael grant is a magnificent alternate history account of three young girls and their experience in a “what if” scenario where women are subject to the draft and eligible for military service. Rio Richlin, Frangie Marr and Rainy Schulterman enlist in the United States military and are instantly thrown into a new world. In between vigorous training in preparation for World War Two, our protagonists are offered no safe haven as they are bombarded not with grenades, but with the sneers and partiality coupled with the leering gaze of their male comrades and superiors. As made obvious from the above, the social justice issue represented in this novel is sexism, especially concerning women in the military. Although Frangie Marr, an African-American character, experiences distressing amounts of racism in addition to the misogyny throughout her service, sexism is a more constant attribute in the struggle of these particular soldiers.

The Great War had women’s first contributions as nurses drawn from the ranks of religious orders. Almost 3,000 women served as what was dubbed “Nursing Sisters” (Veterans Affairs Canada: Canada Remembers Women in the Canadian Military) with the Canadian Amy Medical Corps. Although the Nursing Sisters where often near the front lines unarmed and vulnerable to enemy fire, they were known primarily for their compassion while the male soldiers were identified for their bravery and courage. In World War Two, 4,500 Nursing Sisters served, and they wore a military uniform with a traditional white veil as opposed to blue dresses and white veils (also called the “bluebird”). Canada, in World War Two, was the first of all Allied countries to have the nurses be recognized as official officers and in turn addressed as “Sister” or “Ma’am” to demonstrate