"On the Quai at Smyrna" Summary

The narrator is with a group of soldiers in Turkey describing the aftermath of a disaster. Women cling to dead babies, and old people die quickly and suddenly. Women boarding the evacuation boat give birth on board. Farm animals that cannot go on board are injured and drowned in shallow water.

"On the Quai at Smyrna" Analysis

The narrator's commentary on the events is largely ironic. In describing chaos as though it were planned and reasonable, the narrator shows the absurdity of both human nature and the reaction of people to a disastrous situation. The irony takes away the personal qualities of the individuals, while highlighting the absurdness of the events that are happening to them.