Alienation and Isolation

I was surprised when Jonathan was willing to fight after he saw how nervous the men were. He could have said no or snuck out the back door! Jonathan can't even carry a gun right without it cutting into his neck so how can he expect to kill an enemy soldier!
On page19 the narrator states, "The gun was heavy. Jonathan tried throwing it over his shoulder and resting it as the others did, only to find its weight cut into his neck." Jonathan seems to be alienated because of his youth and how he could not handle the war. Perhaps Jonathan is to young for the war.