The Flag

by Homer Greene

"The Flag" by Homer Greene is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story revolves around Penfield Butler, a fourteen-year-old boy living in the village of Chestnut Hill, where rivalries between local youth lead to playful yet intense conflicts. The narrative opens against a backdrop of snowy winter, highlighting Pen's interactions with family and friends as well as his involvement in a school initiative to raise money for an American flag. At the start of the book, we are introduced to Pen and his family, including his strict yet loving Aunt Millicent and his grandfather, Colonel Butler. The tension between the Hilltops and the Riverbeds, two boyhood factions, is evident as excitement grows for a more significant "battle" involving snowball fights. As the story unfolds, Pen's determination to see off his grandfather on a train is interrupted by an accident during coasting, which inadvertently leads to rivalry and competition for the flag being the centerpiece of their conflicts. The opening chapters set the stage for a tale of youthful conflict, camaraderie, and the exploration of patriotism, setting up deeper themes of honor and self-reflection.