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Les Personnages - Coggle Diagram
Les Personnages
Werner Von Ebrannac
Expectation from reader that he'll be met with an negative reaction as he is a compulsory lodger by the occupying German force in France, however he is presented in a positive light by the narrator (the uncle).
He is polite from the moment of arrival. His first words are 'S'il vous plait'. He introduces himself and then apologises for the inconvenience to the uncle and the niece. He appears a polite and cultured with whom the reader can sympathise. He smiles several times during this meeting which reinforced this impression.
At the beginning he talks about trivial things only, such as the weather which demand no reply.
Always ends these monologues with 'Je vous souhaite une bonne nuit'
Following a change in the weather, Werner appears later than his usual time and in his own clothes. This distances him from the image linked with the soldier and highlights the fact that he is a normal person, he begins to speak more from the heart which draws the reader but also the niece and uncle towards him.
He is cultured; he is a musician and has a sound knowledge of French literature, demonstrated through his interest in the uncle and niece's books. He says he would like to compose his own music
He is a romantic and naïve; demonstrated through his views on the relationship between France and Germany. He says that destiny must have brought him to Chartres.
Says he would be happy to break the silence. Highlights his naivety and ignorance. Also portrays him in a negative light as his innocent and naive image is no longer endearing but undermines the suffrage of the French people.
He talks about needing to be accepted by France 'je demande qu'elle m'acceille', this is a plea to stop resisting him and also for the niece to accept his feelings. He says that his goal is to live in France in a similar house - he truly believes his vision.
Disgusted by his former fiancée's barbarism, foreshadows his disgust with the Germans in Paris. He disagrees with this behaviour and therefore renounces his compatriots to go to the Eastern Front. An admirable and brave choice which portrays him in a sympathetic light,.
The uncle's detailed description of Werner after Paris mirror the description of his appearance at the start of the book. He struggles to understand that his compatriots don't share his vision for France and he struggles to contain his emotions 'Refleter les emotions aussi bien qu'un visage'. He feels there is no hope for France.
He has feelings for the niece. Symbolised in his telling of Beauty and the Beast. Werner says that he can understand the Beast's pain which encourages sympathy from the reader.
He seems different straight away from other German soldiers. The uncle notes that his name doesn't sound German and that he has 'l'air convenable'.
When Werner leaves, the uncle describes the sun as pale, and tells the reader that 'Il me sembla qu'il faisait tres froid'. It seems that, with him, Werner has taken all hope. Suggests impending death and the novel ends on a pessimistic note.
The Niece
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She does not welcome the arrival of Werner and seems tense and nervous. 'Ma niece me regarda et posa sa tasse'
She acts as if he does not exist. 'sans rien regarder' and when the uncle remarks that he seems pleasant enough she shrugs her shoulders. She appears determined not to be charmed by him.
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After Werner's return from Paris. The niece wears a shawl with 10 linked hands. This is symbolic as it mirrors Werner's vision for a union between France and Germany. It shows she may be becoming more amenable to this vision.
After Werner's declaration that he is going to the Eastern Front, the niece appears visibly upset and her demeanour is shattered. The uncle can see a look of pain on her face,
She tells Werner 'Adieu'. This is extremely important as it shows that he has managed to break the silence and therefore the resistance, indicating that she is in love with him. This portrays a character torn between love for her country and for a man.
The Uncle
Uncle has an air of resignation about the arrival of Werner, however he is immediately curious and interested in the German officer, this is demonstrated by his very detailed description of Werner's appearance.
He feels a level of guilt in ignoring Werner, he recognises that he is his enemy but he says 'je ne puis sans souffrir offenser un homme'
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He also begins to refer to Werner by name rather than 'l'Allemand' or 'l'officier', this demonstrates the uncle starts to warm up to him.
When Werner reads the passage from Macbeth, the uncle realises that he shares Werner's sentiments 'meme tyran que moi'
The absence of Werner for the week after Paris worries the uncle and he admits this. When he goes to the German HQ he lingers purposefully in hope that Werner will spot him although he says that he doesn't know why he does this.
When Werner appears one evening the uncle refers to him by 'monsieur' which demonstrates the progress made in their relationship and the attitude he has towards Werner. No longer sees him as the enemy.