Generals Die in Bed
GENERAL DIE IN BED
Chapter 5
Ivan Liu
1.What happens as the soldiers are marching out to rest? What is the author’s reaction to these events and how is this reaction conveyed through the use of language?
They are being bombarded by the enemy when they reached a crossroad which they are ordered to fall in. The author is scared to these events, and he keeps describing the sound of the war (e.g. the sound of the gun and the bombardment) to convey his fear. Also he uses a lot of analogy and emotive language to convey his reaction, for example, “The dark is stabbed with a burst of red flame. We duck our heads and hunch our shoulders instinctively.” “The road is an inferno.”
p.58 – What has an impact upon the narrator? Why do you think he is surprised about this event, but not about the precious events narrated?
They arrived at a place that the houses haven’t been destroyed by the war. He is surprised because he knows he has arrived at a village that there are people lining, which means it is temperately safe and peace for him, and he can have a rest from the war.
What is the soldiers’ reaction to the smell of beans?
They “take deep, long inhalations.” They enjoy the smell of beans so much, because it is a symbol of being alive, and peaceful. They keep on talking about the smell of beans and making an Army joke of it. They also remember of Brownie and feel sorry about him.
What is their reaction to Brown’s death? Why do you think they discuss it only at this point?
“It’s a shame about Brownie.” They feel sorry about Brown’s death. They discuss it only at this point because they were fighting in the war before, they probably will die at any time and hence they can’t discuss it. But now they are on rest, they are relaxed and have time to remember him. They want to share this peace with Brownie.
“He (Brown) is a symbol.” What is Brown a symbol of?
Brown becomes a hero among the soldiers as he died. He is a symbol of death, sadness and inevitability from the
Chapter 5
Ivan Liu
1.What happens as the soldiers are marching out to rest? What is the author’s reaction to these events and how is this reaction conveyed through the use of language?
They are being bombarded by the enemy when they reached a crossroad which they are ordered to fall in. The author is scared to these events, and he keeps describing the sound of the war (e.g. the sound of the gun and the bombardment) to convey his fear. Also he uses a lot of analogy and emotive language to convey his reaction, for example, “The dark is stabbed with a burst of red flame. We duck our heads and hunch our shoulders instinctively.” “The road is an inferno.”
p.58 – What has an impact upon the narrator? Why do you think he is surprised about this event, but not about the precious events narrated?
They arrived at a place that the houses haven’t been destroyed by the war. He is surprised because he knows he has arrived at a village that there are people lining, which means it is temperately safe and peace for him, and he can have a rest from the war.
What is the soldiers’ reaction to the smell of beans?
They “take deep, long inhalations.” They enjoy the smell of beans so much, because it is a symbol of being alive, and peaceful. They keep on talking about the smell of beans and making an Army joke of it. They also remember of Brownie and feel sorry about him.
What is their reaction to Brown’s death? Why do you think they discuss it only at this point?
“It’s a shame about Brownie.” They feel sorry about Brown’s death. They discuss it only at this point because they were fighting in the war before, they probably will die at any time and hence they can’t discuss it. But now they are on rest, they are relaxed and have time to remember him. They want to share this peace with Brownie.
“He (Brown) is a symbol.” What is Brown a symbol of?
Brown becomes a hero among the soldiers as he died. He is a symbol of death, sadness and inevitability from the