from it but now he’s concerned, he has opinions about it. He believes that street numbers and the names of villages have more meaning than abstract words such as "sacred, glorious, and sacrifice." The violence and inhumanity of the war have dislocated belief in abstract concepts and general values; only concrete details such as place names, and personal qualities like competence, retain their meaning, especially for him whom with Catherine have lived at the antipodes of all ethics and morals. In chapter 27, the war evolves but it is distant and only the actions are reported. Even when the retreat is decided war is far, only a feeling of fear and urgency reminds us of it. (The soldiers with Henri stop to sleep…). The retreat is orderly to begin with, but everyone has a sense of hurry--the fear struck into the Italians by the proximity of the German army adds a sense of desperate urgency to their flight. This scene is agonizing slow, tense, and terrifying. Rapidly the soldiers begin to break down the rules by giving a ride to the sergeants and to the two girls. 3. The unstopping rain, the muddy and squishy ground, make an agonising and muggy atmosphere. The sense o hurry of the men and the feeling of proximity of the Germans create a tension among the men. The action is monotonous and tiresome because of its slow and cadenced rhythm. “We moved slowly but steadily in the rain”. There are chains of reaction, which help to create this tempo, first the truck ahead stopped, then the second, and the third… The columns of peasants marching alongside the soldiers also heighten the tension, the population is escaping, and the Germans are not far. The constructed military world of the Italian army falls apart. Revolt is coming. The engineer sergeant’s insubordination in Chapter 29 causes Henry’s contained tension to explode; as he impulsively draws the pistol opens fire on them. Bonello's desire to help hi...
