Two Little Soldiers: Guy de Maupassant

 Two Little Soldiers : Guy De Maupassant


Summary

 

The story takes place in the town of Courbevoie (just on the outskirts of Paris) and is a story about two soldiers, who go out and have a good time every Sunday,

 

It is about a triangular love with a completely unexpected and awkward twist near the end of the story. Luc and Jean are the major characters of the story. They are soldiers and spend their free time on Sundays away from the barracks. They go outing in the countryside and the routine has become some sort of a ritual. They carry packed food and enjoy it with wine lying in the midst of woods in quiet sight that brings them the memory of home.


They enjoy having an innocent look of a young village girl who chases a cow to pasture and milks it every week at the same time. One Sunday, the girl talks to them on her way to the pasture. When she returns after some time, she offers them milk. She goes home with a promise to see the soldiers the following Sunday.

 


The next weekend, Jean suggests that they should bring something for her. They buy candies as a suitable present. When the girl arrives, they shy away to offer her the candies. However, Luc dares to reveal to her that they have brought something for her. Jean hands the little paper bag to her.

 


With the passage of time, she becomes the topic of conversation for the soldiers in their leisure at the barracks. The three become fast friends. They tell each other little incidents and details of their villages. They begin to share their food with the girl and in return, she offers them milk. She seems to show equal attention to both of them. Then, in an unexpected move, Luc seeks  leave on a Tuesday, and again the following Thursday. He is known to have borrowed money from one of the friends but offers no explanation for it to Jean.



The following Sunday the girl appears as she always does. Luc gets up and goes towards her. Then, she kisses him passionately. Jean is upset and heartbroken because he is left out and does not understand why the girl has suddenly turned all of her attention to Luc. Now Jean realizes why Luc had been absent twice during the week.



Luc and the girl walk hand in hand to attend to the cow and disappear into the forest. Jean panics and remains motionless. When they return, they kiss again. Unexpectedly, she doesn’t offer Jean any milk that day. Neither of the soldiers talks about the incident.



While returning to the barracks, the soldiers stop momentarily on the bridge over the Seine as usual. Jean leans over the railing. He falls into the water. Luc can’t do anything. He watches in grief as his good friend drowns. He runs to the barracks with his eyes full of tears.

 

Understanding the text

Answer these questions.

a. Why do the two soldiers spend their free time on Sundays away from the barracks out in the countryside?

 

The two soldiers spend their free time on Sundays away from the barracks out in the countryside because they have found a suitable site to spend time quietly which reminds them of home.


b. Why does the girl become the topic of conversation for these soldiers?

 

The girl becomes the topic of conversation for these soldiers because both of them fall in love with her.


c. Why does deception enter into their friendship?


Deception enters into their friendship because Luc seeks leave twice a week and actively courts her without any knowledge of Jean.


d. Do you think that Luc is a betrayer of friendship?


Certainly, I do. Luc starts to visit the girl secretly betraying his friend. He is known to have borrowed money from one of his friends and seeks leave without the knowledge of Jean.


e. What is the cause of suicide of Jean? Do you think that it was the only release of his love?

 

The direct cause of the suicide of Jean has been the betrayal from his bosom friend. He has not only lost the girl that he loves, but also the sincere friendship which he valued greatly. This makes him despair and kills himself falling himself into the water.

 

I don’t think that suicide was the only rational choice of action in such circumstances.  He should have expressed his hurt feelings to Luc and also the girl and accepted the girl’s love for Luc as it would be impracticable and unnatural to expect her love for both of them. He is a coward to commit suicide.



Reference to the context

 

a. What is the central theme of the story?

The theme of the story is the incompatibility of friendship and romantic love. Jean and Luc are best friends. They fall in love with the same girl. To win the girl, one of them must betray the bond of friendship. It is impossible that one should become the girl’s lover and still maintain the same relationship with his fellow soldier that existed before the girl came into their lives.

 

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

i. Who is the speaker?

ii. What does the word “here” indicate?

iii. Who does “you” refer to?

 

i. The speaker referred to above is the dairymaid.

ii. "Here" means the place where the two soldiers frequent every weekend.

iii. "You" refers to two soldiers.


c. "He leaned--he--he was leaning--so far over--that his head carried him away-- and--he--fell--he fell----"

i. Who is the speaker?

ii. Why is the speaker speaking with interruption?

iii. What does he mean when he says “he--fell--he fell---”?

 

i. The speaker referred to above is Luc.

ii. The speaker is speaking with interruption because he is undergoing agonizing pain due to the unexpected death of his bosom friend.

iii. He means that Jean fell into the river and drowned.


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

The story is a tragedy. In the story, the two characters, Luc and Jean are soldiers and fast friends, who frequent the countryside every Sunday to enjoy food away from the barrack that reminds them of home. They happen to see a young village girl who brings her cow to pasture and milks it every week at the same time. They befriend the girl and begin to share their food with her. They even buy candies as gifts for her. In return, she shares milk with them. Both fall in love with her. However, Luc secretly invents an opportunity and prioritizes romantic possibilities over a close friendship. The knowledge of betrayal from Luc causes Jean to make the drastic choice to end his own life. The decision being a logical consequence of his realization that he will have neither a friend nor a lover, the tragedy is invited by a flaw in the character of Luc.

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

The story takes place in the town of Courbevoie (just on the outskirts of Paris) and is a story about two soldiers, who go out and have a good time every Sunday, The scene is peaceful. Luc and Jean, stationed in barracks nearby, frequent the site with meal and to enjoy the area, which reminds them of their home.

 

The most significant style of presentation of the events remarkable is the third person point of view. Although the events unfold continuously, the point of view changes with the change in scenes. As an omniscient narrator, he recounts what both soldiers think and do, giving each equal attention. The author, side by side also provides simple and straightforward information about the emotional status of the girl as she encounters the soldiers. He uses the viewpoint of Jean when Luc decides to go on leave and the two soldiers travel to the countryside for the last time. When the two soldiers return to the barracks, the scene is viewed through Luc’s eyes. The readers are devoid of any knowledge about Jean’s feelings as they come to the bridge. The author does not give any hints why jean kills himself falling into the river and drowning.

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

The conflict in the story sets in when the girl kisses Luc passionately. She doesn’t bother to look at Jean or what feeling he might come to pass in her advances. Jean is upset and heartbroken. At this point, Jean discovers the reason why Luc sought leave twice that week and borrowed money from a friend. Thereafter, Luc and the girl go to attend to the cow and disappear into the woods for a long time. When they return, they kiss again. Moreover, the girl doesn’t offer Jean any milk that day. Eventually, the conflict between friendship and love leads to the death of Jean. Luc remains in anguish as his good friend dies.

 

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