English 11002
Assignment 1. Arguing a Position
10/04/14
Skill in the Writing of Guy De Maupassant
Until this class I would have never recognized the skill that Guy De Maupassant possess. As we read this story after a few times, I asked myself why. Then I started to realize what an amazing writer he is. As we analyzed each paragraph I got deeper and deeper into the story. This essay will give you an insight in what I experienced when reading this piece of work. In the following I will give you examples that changed the way I read. My final point will be why at the end Guy De Maupassant's skill has made us not hate Old Mother Savage for what she had done.
At the beginning he was describing such a wonderful place and how he loved that part of the country. "Unforgettable - the sensation as of happiness having fluttered by, and vanished." Then he continues to tell a tragic story of what had happened their earlier. On page 204, paragraph three "Little streams coursing through the earth like veins, carrying life-blood to the soil." at first I did not notice this, then I begin to think. The streams are blood, passing through our veins, bring blood to our bodies that's life. Guy De Maupassant's skill in the way he writes made me look at that sentence in a different way.
Going on to page 205, the end of paragraph three he states; "Their muscles of their faces have never learned how to stretch in laughter." at this point I actually begin to think about the physical muscles in ones face. Guy De Maupassant's skill made me the reader, look at the words in its actual meaning. Guy De Maupassant's word usage changes the whole situation.
Continuing on as you read you get to page 207, in the second paragraph "If only they had given back her boy, as they had given back her husband, with the bullet in the middle of his forehead!" this point in the story I started to feel sorry for Old Mother Savage, she never go the closure of getting her son back. Even if he was cut in two by a cannon ball, she had the emptiness now of not having him at al. The skill Guy De Maupassant has to make us feel the feelings Old Mother Savage had, is amazing.
Further down the page paragraph four, "They devoured the rabbit without paying any attention to her." Old Mother Savage is maturing her plan on how she is going to kill these four men. This made me look at the four men as animals. This one word "devoured" changed the story. I found myself understanding why Old Mother Savage did what she did. As she watched them tear the rabbit to pieces she was reminded of her son, the blood and then at that moment she wanted revenge. The skill Guy De Maupassant had in portraying that emotion and rage she had, was perfect.
Old Mother Savage executes her plan, and yet again Guy De Maupassant shows his skill in his writing. On page 208 paragraph six, "A clock in the distance begin to strike" this gives the reader a sense of time. Guy De Maupassant did not have to put this in the story it would have been fine without it. This seemed to kind of slowdown that moment in time, and made me realize what actually happened. It allowed me a moment to go back and really take in that Old Mother Savage had just burned four Germans alive, in her own home.
Towards the end of this story Guy De Maupassant gives another insight to how Old Mother Savage was feeling after. "She left untold not a single detail of what she had felt or done." Old Mother Savage had told the crowd everything from the beginning to the end, what she had done and why. I felt Old Mother Savage wanted to tell her story, and wanted her voice to never be forgotten. Guy De Maupassant helps Old Mother Savage get her point across.
This leads me to the question I asked earlier, why do we not hate Old Mother Savage for what she had done? Guy De Maupassant's skill in his writing helped us make a connection with her, and understand what she was going though. She did kill four Germans, and burned down her own house but yet she was still sane in a way. She had lost everything first her husband, then her son, now her home. I believe with the return of her son's body, none of this would have happened. In the end we sympathize with Old Mother Savage instead of hating her. This is how Guy De Maupassant is a skillful writer used very powerful words, paused in the right way, and placed them wonderfully and ultimately changed the way I read.
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