Outside Reading Quarter 3: LAST POST

The last section of the novel Suite Francaise provides some closure to a few themes touched on in the novel, but doesn’t resolve the war. As seen earlier, a difference in attitude had lead to a great difference in acceptance and overall mood. The final chapters however attempt to explain how this accepting attitude may be reached, and problems solved. In chapter twenty the Germans and French both express that they have faults. In a conversation with a friendly German soldier, a Frenchman said, “We Frenchmen have very short memories; this is both our strength and our weakness!”(340). The German soldier responds, “we Germans too have a weakness that is also our greatest quality: our tactlessness”(340). By openly speaking of their differences a working, peaceful relationship can grow, as it does in the novel. By stating their strengths and weaknesses the rivals are getting to know each other, and understand that their enemy doesn’t only have weaknesses. This part reminded me of our class discussion when we talked about how to make peace and coexistence. Our group responded nurturing was an answer, but also that openness and willingness to accept another culture is key. By easily accepting their rival’s culture, they were able to live together peacefully and without hostility.

The book ends in a peaceful time, where the people of the village have accepted and sometimes enjoyed the company of the soldiers, and now the soldiers are leaving their village for good. The strange thing is the peace they are feeling so early on in the war, as the soldiers left in 1941. In fact, the last few lines of the book are a peaceful conversation you would expect two people to be having over coffee instead of a recently occupied village in the midst of war. A man says, “I’ve just heard on the radio that they’re at war with Russia,” a seemingly normal statement during wartime (357). This is followed however by his statement, “It’ll be dry again tomorrow,” a normal expression when one has nothing better to talk about (357). The odd peace at the conclusion of the story shows not only that the people have come to peace with the soldiers, but with the situation, and are no longer the anxious animals as earlier portrayed. A fine piece of literature and for those who will be reading it for outside reading, it has many discussable points, both in the writing style and theme (and maybe even more).

Nemirovsky, Irene. “Suite Francaise”. New York: Random House, 2006.

Outside Reading Quarter 3: Post 5

The second part of the book calms down on the international conflict, but the personal anger grows between soldier and host. As Kurt enters the house of Madeline and Benoit, he interests Madeline in his worldly knowledge. This angers Benoit who realizes that Madeline might not truly love him after all, and the soldier visiting is just an outlet of her interests in a more exciting, or at least different life. The differences in attitude towards the soldiers I have already mentioned, however this section lead me to take this difference in acceptance to another level, one that may be applied to daily life.

I have noticed that the author will describe a scene in third person, focusing on the action, then suddenly switch to a few lines of commentary that give an idea toward the theme the author is trying to prove. While this writing style has been present throughout the whole novel, the way the author uses it to enhance the mood of these chapters really brought forth its expertise to light. An example of this kind of quote usage is towards the end of the 11th chapter when there is a debate about the Germans occupying their town. One argues, “They’re human, like us,” but is confronted with the rebuttal, “Yes, but my poor girl, when people say ‘a German,’ of course they know he’s just a man, but what they mean to say, what is so terrible, is that he’s killed Frenchmen, that they’re holding our relatives prisoner, that they’re starving us…”(276). The use of this quote shows the reader the struggle that was verbal as well as mental regarding the soldiers, and brings the struggle closer to home as it is no longer in the omnipotent 3rd person and is rather in a more believable spoken conflict. I find this passage interesting because with only lightly considering the situation, one can’t make judgments. With looking at the people in the village it is easy to think they should hate their captors, but we must look at it the other way, and realize the captors are just humans as well. This may apply to several situations on a scale not a grandiose as war. When encountering a problem person, or someone you have a conflict with, one must think of the situation they are facing, and not be to fast to judge. While their will always be bad people in our world, some are forced into an action that hurts others, an action they themselves would not like to take.

Nemirovsky, Irene. “Suite Francaise”. New York: Random House, 2006.

Outside Reading Quarter 3: Post 4

At the end of the first section, the author brings out the feeling that the war has torn everyone apart, and caused grief and sorrow to almost everyone. The feeling at the end of the section is that while the beginning of the war didn’t seem too bad, everyone was negatively affected some way. From the rich city dweller, to the poor urban worker and out to humble farmers, friends and family members were lost, as well as a loss of dignity and profit. The author can summarize this feeling by bringing the small short stories in the part of the book to a conclusion. Many of the families returned back to Paris, just to realize its emptiness without their loved ones there. When told her son would return, Madame Michaud now contradicted their opinion, thinking, “No. She didn’t believe it any more”(204). This general negative attitude was clear from others, such as the farmers, who were lucky enough to get their son back. While they weren’t mourning the loss of their son, they rather missed their life of old, and were out substantial money.

In the beginning of the next part of the book the focus turns from many people leaving Paris to a small village in France, about to be occupied for the third time. An interesting mix of attitudes is shown in the next few chapters. The Germans rudely enter the town on Easter Sunday, but later are very nice to the children, and even charming in Angellier house. When the soldier arrived, Lucile thought, “My God, how many Frenchmen has he killed?”(216). It doesn’t take her long though to arrive at the new thought, “That’s how war is; it isn’t this boy’s fault”(216). That accepting attitude seemed to permeate throughout the village, and these Germans weren’t the monsters they were rumored to be. After all, their loved ones were off fighting in the war, and they weren’t monsters at all and didn’t even want to fight. The book reminds us that in almost all situations it is not the soldier’s fault; he is just the one that carries out commands.

Nemirovsky, Irene. “Suite Francaise”. New York: Random House, 2006.