Class 11 English Lesson 6: Reference to the context

 

Reference to the context

a.      What is the central theme of the story?

The central theme of this story is the incompatibility between friendship and love. Jean and Luc are best friends under the most trying of circumstances. When both fall in love with the same girl, feelings of hatred, jealousy arise between them, and hence that friendship cannot survive, and it ends in tragic circumstances.

b.      “What are you doing here? Are you watching the grass grow?”

i.       Who is the speaker?

The dairy maid is the speaker.

ii.           What does the word “here” indicate?

“Here” means the place where the two soldiers visit every weekend.

iii.        Who does “you” refer to?

“You” refers to the two soldiers, Jean and Luc.

iv.         “He leaned–he–he was leaning–so far over–that his head carried him away–and–he–fell–he fell-“ Who is the speaker?

The speaker is Luc.

c.      Why is the speaker speaking with interruptions?

The speaker is speaking with interruption because he is in pain and scared of the death of Jean.

d.     What does he mean when he says “he–fell–he fell—”?

He means that Jean fell into the river.

e.      Two Little Soldiers can be viewed as a series of dramatic scenes. Describe the story as a tragedy.

In a literary tragedy, a protagonist is typically brought to ruin because of some character flaw. This flaw, which is usually some common human flaw like greed or misplaced loyalty, causes the character to weaken and leads to his ultimate downfall. In “Two Little Soldiers”, two friends, Jean and Luc, begin the story in a pastoral and fairly tranquil setting despite being far from home. Together, they enjoy their time, eating a simple meal and enjoying a bit of wine before having to return to their duties.

This sense of friendship is ultimately destroyed by the introduction of a third party—a girl. Suddenly, the two friends are equally fascinated by this girl, and they begin to chat about her throughout their week. Neither soldier seems prepared to make a move for the girl’s affections at first, nor then suddenly, does Luc change everything when he takes leave without telling Jean where he is going.

When the three meet again, everything has changed. Jean and Luc are no longer the central pair of the group; instead, Luc and the girl have become more intimate during his evenings of leave. They sneak off together, leaving Jean completely isolated. Luc was Jean’s central line of connection in a world of confinement and loneliness. Realizing that he has lost this connection, Jean is bewildered and desolate. He likely commits suicide by intentionally falling into the river because of the fresh disconnect he feels from humanity.

Luc is devastated by the loss of his friend, barely able to choke out the news when he returns to the barracks. Thus, the tragedy is dependent on Luc’s character flaw: he prioritizes romantic possibilities over a close friendship. This ultimately causes the tragic loss of the friendship which he had valued so much and which had sustained him through the loneliness of being so far from home.

f.       What is the setting and style of the story?

The story is set in the French countryside, near the town of Courbevoie. It is wartime, but the scene is peaceful and idyllic; Luc and Jean, who are soldiers stationed in barracks nearby, come here on Sundays for a quiet meal and to enjoy the area, which reminds them of home. The beauty of the setting is enhanced by the presence of a young village girl, who brings her cow out to pasture every Sunday when the boys are there. The boys begin to engage in “a bit of innocent ogling” of the comely girl, who, after a while, begins to talk to them.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n79_K1qnUtI 

g.     How would you describe the conflict between the friends?

In the story, the conflict arises when the girl kisses Luc passionately, without paying attention to Jean. Seeing this, Jean is upset and heartbroken. Jean got the reason behind why Luc seeks leave and borrows money from Jean, but offers no explanation for his behavior. Luc and the girl go to attend to the cow and disappear into the woods for a long time. When they return, the lovers kiss again, and the girl doesn’t offer him any milk that day. Eventually, the conflict between friendship and love leads to the death of Jean.

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