Jonathan has evolved as a result of the war

I believe that at this point of the story, Jonathan has already evolved as a result of the war, and he is certain to evolve further. In the beginning of the story, Jonathan dreams about the glories of war, while his father fears it. "But as Jonathan resumed his tasks, his mind turned to the uniforms, the New Jersey uniforms (page 5)." As the story goes on, however, Jonathan realizes the brutality of war and soon his heroic dreams are replaced by the most intense fear he has ever experienced. As Jonathan is captured by the Hessians, he is unknowingly already in the process of change. "He knew they had been beaten. It had been so confused, so wrongly done, it was a wonder that they had even stood and fought at all. It seemed so stupid now (page 67)." In the brief time between his dreams of glory and his capture, Jonathan has developed a healthy skepticism about war, and is begining to understand that there is an important difference between fantasy and reality. If he gets another chance to make a similar choice, there is little doubt that he will go through a more mature decision making process. This is a vital step in the evolution of any human being, and Jonathan is no exception.
~Diana 705