And now we get to see actual the siege that resulted in the breach in La Tourgue so painstakingly described in the last chapter, a siege waged by Gauvain (the less hard but still firm voice in the crowd) and Cimourdain, the voice that doesn’t even flinch at the thought of sacrificing Michelle’s children.
The speech of Imanus serves as both an “as you know, Bob” type of exposition for the reader (telling us more details about the status of the Vendée war) and as a Sympathy for the Devil speech: Imanus isn’t completely wrong. He is fighting a war on his own land, to keep out invaders from elsewhere. His parents and his 18-year-old sister were guillotined. His people’s homes and lands were destroyed. Yes, it’s more complicated than that, Yes, in addition to defending his turf, he and his people are betraying their country and giving aid to a foreign invasion that’s going to reinstitute an absolute monarchy and kill everyone who opposes them. He’s still not completely wrong, and that’s the power of this section.
He’s wrong enough, though. He’s helping the English invade France and he’s willing to kill three kids because they were adopted by a republican regiment and that’s wrong enough.
“It’s you, priest.” “Yes, it’s me, traitor.” Oh, and now it’s ON. Fight, fight! This was the capital-C Confrontation everything was leading up to, after all. (“Cimourdain, at last, we see each other plain…”)
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timeasmymeasure
3.2.10
Date: 2014-06-19 02:42 am (UTC)And now we get to see actual the siege that resulted in the breach in La Tourgue so painstakingly described in the last chapter, a siege waged by Gauvain (the less hard but still firm voice in the crowd) and Cimourdain, the voice that doesn’t even flinch at the thought of sacrificing Michelle’s children.
The speech of Imanus serves as both an “as you know, Bob” type of exposition for the reader (telling us more details about the status of the Vendée war) and as a Sympathy for the Devil speech: Imanus isn’t completely wrong. He is fighting a war on his own land, to keep out invaders from elsewhere. His parents and his 18-year-old sister were guillotined. His people’s homes and lands were destroyed. Yes, it’s more complicated than that, Yes, in addition to defending his turf, he and his people are betraying their country and giving aid to a foreign invasion that’s going to reinstitute an absolute monarchy and kill everyone who opposes them. He’s still not completely wrong, and that’s the power of this section.
He’s wrong enough, though. He’s helping the English invade France and he’s willing to kill three kids because they were adopted by a republican regiment and that’s wrong enough.
“It’s you, priest.” “Yes, it’s me, traitor.” Oh, and now it’s ON. Fight, fight! This was the capital-C Confrontation everything was leading up to, after all. (“Cimourdain, at last, we see each other plain…”)