The Orphan Collector: A Heroic Novel of Survival During the 1918 Influenza Pandemic

Content Warning: This section contains descriptions of death, racism, anti-immigrant bias, and kidnapping.

“The deadly virus stole unnoticed through the crowded cobblestone streets of Philadelphia on a sunny September day, unseen and unheard amidst the jubilant chaos of the Liberty Loan parade and the patriotic marches of John Philip Sousa. More than 200,000 men, women, and children waved American flags and jostled one another for prime viewing space along the two-mile route, while the people behind shouted encouragement over shoulders and past faces to the bands, Boy Scouts, women’s auxiliaries, marines, sailors, and soldiers in the street.”

The opening lines of the novel establish the celebratory mood of the American public as World War I draws to a close. The American Patriotism signaled by the flag-waving and parades will take a dark turn when the influenza epidemic strikes and people must fight for resources. Wiseman juxtaposes the crowd’s joy with the invisible spread of the virus. Viruses spread faster in large groups, and the people at the parade are, ironically, contributing to the epidemic even as they celebrate an end to the war’s massive casualties.

“Something she couldn’t name seemed to push against her from all sides, something heavy and invisible and threatening. At first, she thought it was the heat and the congested sidewalks, but then she recognized the familiar sinking sensation she had grown up trying to avoid, and the sudden overwhelming awareness that something was horribly wrong.”

This quote foreshadows the flu as something inescapable and looming. It also begins to explain Pia’s intuition and her ability to sense hurt and illness. These traits are integral to her character development and the novel’s plot.

“With him by her side, she could have moved through the crowd nearly untouched. But that was impossible because he’d enlisted in the army three months, along with two of his German-American friends, to prove their loyalty to the United States.”

Pia and her family have sacrificed greatly to prove that they are loyal Americans, highlighting the theme of Immigration, Racism, and Anti-Immigrant Bias. Unfortunately, the novel shows how no amount of loyalty can protect immigrants from prejudice.