The main message of the story is that people are victims of circumstances. In the story, the lieutenant did everything he was supposed to do. He joined the war in order to defend his country, he fought bravely, he was strong in the face of suffering. Nevertheless, he was a victim of circumstances as he was injured and had to have his arm amputated. Even though there was no reason at all to blame him, and nothing he could have done differently, he quickly loses the respect of people who now consider him useless.
