📖 Understanding the Text
=> Answer: these questions.**
a. Why do the two soldiers spend their free time on Sundays away from the barrack out in the countryside?
=> Answer: Jean and Luc have made the countryside their regular Sunday destination because the place gives them a pleasant escape from military life. Its familiar and peaceful atmosphere reminds them of home, making them feel happier there than in other places.
b. Why does the girl become the topic of conversation for these soldiers?
=> Answer: The young girl catches the attention of both soldiers, and both Jean and Luc eventually become romantically interested in her. Because they share feelings for the same girl, she naturally becomes a frequent subject of their discussions.
c. Why does deception enter into their friendship?
=> Answer: The element of deception appears after Luc begins visiting the girl secretly. He goes away from the barracks without explaining his destination to Jean. By hiding these meetings, he introduces dishonesty into a friendship that had previously been based on trust.
d. Do you think that Luc is a betrayer of friendship?
=> Answer: Yes, I think that Luc is a betrayer of friendship as he has broken the faith of his friend Jean. He leaves the barracks without telling anything to his friend so that he can meet the countryside girl whom Jean loves equally.
e. What is the cause of suicide of Jean? Do you think that it was the only release of his love?
=> Answer: The cause of suicide of Jean was his friend Luc because he is mentally disturbed by the love affair of his friend Luc with the girl whom he loves much. I don’t think suicide was the only one way to release his love. He could have expressed his feeling to the girl or could have moved on in his life accepting Luc’s love instead of committing suicide.
📚 Reference to the Context
a. What is the central theme of the story?
=> Answer: The principal idea of the story is the struggle between romantic love and close friendship. Jean and Luc begin as loyal companions who depend on one another while living under the difficult conditions of military service. Their relationship changes after they both become attracted to the same girl. The resulting jealousy and resentment gradually destroy their companionship and eventually lead to a tragic outcome.
b. "What are you doing here? Are you watching the grass grow?"
i. Who is the speaker?
=> Answer: The dairy maid is the speaker.
ii. What does the word “here” indicate?
=> Answer: "Here" means the place where the two soldiers visit every weekend.
iii. Who does “you” refer to?
=> Answer: "You" refers to the two soldiers Jean and Luc.
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?
=> Answer: The speaker is Luc.
ii. Why is the speaker speaking with interruption?
=> Answer: The speaker is speaking with interruption because he is in pain and scared of the death of Jean.
iii. What does he mean when he says “he--fell--he fell---”?
=> Answer: He means that Jean fell into the river.
d. Two Little Soldiers can be viewed as a series of dramatic scenes. Describe the story as tragedy.
=> Answer: A tragedy normally portrays the movement of a character from a relatively secure situation toward suffering and destruction. A human weakness, emotional mistake, or wrong choice often becomes responsible for this downward movement.
“Two Little Soldiers” develops as a tragedy through the changing relationship between Jean and Luc. In the opening part of the story, they enjoy a strong friendship even though their lives as soldiers keep them away from home. Their Sunday trips to the countryside become a source of happiness. They share their food and wine and enjoy the quiet surroundings together.
The arrival of the village girl changes this peaceful relationship. Both soldiers become attracted to her, and she soon becomes a common subject of their conversation. For some time, their friendship remains apparently unaffected. The real problem begins when Luc secretly takes leave without telling Jean where he is going.
Luc's secret meetings with the girl gradually change the relationship among the three. Jean discovers that Luc and the girl have developed a closer connection. They spend time together and go into the woods, leaving Jean separated from them. The friend who once shared everything with Jean is now becoming emotionally distant.
This separation is especially painful for Jean because Luc is his closest companion in an unfamiliar military environment. Their friendship helps him endure the loneliness of being away from home. Once he feels that this connection has been lost, he becomes deeply unhappy and isolated. He presumably commits suicide by deliberately falling into the river.
Luc is also devastated by the loss. When he returns to the barracks, he struggles to tell the others what has happened because of his intense grief. The story is therefore tragic because the pursuit of romantic love interferes with a friendship that had been extremely important to both soldiers. Luc's actions ultimately contribute to the destruction of their friendship and the tragic death of Jean.
e. What is the setting and style of the story?
=> Answer: The story is set in the French countryside near Courbevoie during wartime. Although the characters belong to a military world, the particular countryside in which the story takes place is peaceful and attractive. Jean and Luc are stationed in nearby barracks and visit the area every Sunday to relax, enjoy nature, and experience a place that reminds them of home.
The setting also includes a young village girl who regularly brings her cow to graze there. The soldiers first take an innocent interest in the attractive girl. Their casual observation develops into conversation, and her presence eventually becomes closely connected with the conflict between Jean and Luc.
f. How would you describe the conflict between the friends?
=> Answer: The conflict begins to emerge when the girl openly expresses her affection for Luc by passionately kissing him in Jean's presence. Jean is deeply upset because he also has strong feelings for her. At the same time, he starts to understand the reason behind Luc's unexplained leave and his borrowing of money.
The emotional distance becomes greater when Luc and the girl take the cow away and remain in the woods for a considerable time. After they return, the girl kisses Luc once again and does not give Jean any milk that day. Jean is consequently made to feel completely left out. The struggle created by their shared love for the girl gradually destroys the friendship and eventually contributes to Jean's death.
📖 Reference Beyond the Text
a. Is it good to have conflict between friendship and love? Is it morally good that a person and his best friend can love the same person?
=> Answer: No, it is not good to have a conflict between friendship and love because these are the relationships which are extremely important for an individual. True friends and loved ones are always concerned about each other. They shed light on your qualities, both positive and bad, and improve self-esteem. Both friendship and love assists to relieve stress and suffering through laughing and good times. They will help you move forward.
As long as love and intention are pure towards the person, it is not morally bad for two-person having the same feelings for the third one. This type of condition may arise in a person's life either knowingly or unknowingly. Although it is not bad, but there is high possibilities for the problems to arise in the near future. So, the only solution is to talk with each other and solve the problem by controlling your emotions.
b. How would you describe the triangular love?
=> Answer: The triangular love is a relationship in which three people are each in love with at least one other person in the relationship. While it can refer to a polyamorous relationship between three people, (i.e., Person A loves Person B loves Person C loves Person A). The short story "Two Little Soldiers” has presented a triangular love where the deception of a friend has created an unfortunate incident for the next friend.