All children are angels sent by God to earth, with holy souls that are different from ordinary people, before he grows up. Nicholas Vannier borrowed the child's noble perspective to explore human nature, but found that human nature can also shine so brightly in the dark abyss.
"Shirley the GreyHound" originally came out as a "children's book", telling us the story of the eight-year-old boy Sebastian domesticating the greyhound Shirley and Shirley, full of mysterious colors. But telling only one child's favorite fairy tale doesn't seem to be Nicholas Vannier's original intention. Therefore, he added a background with the atmosphere of the times to the framework full of fairy tale charm - The Second World War. Let us feel the cruelty of war in a warm atmosphere, remember history, and cherish peace.
Therefore, it is not a children's book in the traditional sense, but only borrows the name of children's books to awaken human beings' love for life, and depicts the social reality behind France during World War II through the attitude of various small people.
<h1 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" > French society during World War II</h1>
On the eve of World War II, France's military strength, in the case of the Army, was the leader of Europe, with the title of "Europe's first power". The Vichy regime also had vast overseas colonies, and later in the war joined General de Gaulle's allies to defend against the Germans.
In terms of the number of troops, the number of French conventional troops has been maintained at about 3 million people, surpassing the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States to rank first in the world. After the war broke out, the French government again urgently recruited troops nationwide, and the total number of troops expanded to 6.99 million in a short period of time. From the perspective of weapons and equipment, France had a complete military system as early as before World War I, with a high degree of mechanization and strong mobility, and basically realized the realization of motorcycles on the battlefield instead of walking. The French army has a total of 5800 tanks, 14000 guns, 1562 bombers on the front line; the navy is second only to the United Kingdom in Europe, stronger than Germany, the comprehensive strength ranks fourth in the world, China's first independently developed and built aircraft carrier Liaoning was launched into service in 2012, France has 1 aircraft carrier, 3 battleships, 7 heavy cruisers, 12 light cruisers, more than 50 destroyers of various types, and 101 submarines during World War II. It also took 11 years to build an impregnable Maginot Line. But the French army, which had such a strong camp, surrendered to Germany in just forty days.
The reason for this is that there is a general war-weariness in France, and during the First World War, although France, as the victorious power, paid a heavy price for it, with nearly 3 million deaths, direct debt of 25 billion gold francs, a serious deficit in finances, difficult daily operations, almost paralyzed, and heavy industrial and infrastructure.
The disaster brought about by the war was that the people of Lebanon suffered the most. Although in more than twenty years, the national economy has developed rapidly and the people's lives have returned to normal levels, the disaster caused by the First World War has been deeply buried in the hearts of the French people, who have always maintained an attitude of respecting the war and staying away, but all politicians who advocate peace will receive a large number of votes. Thus, when the lords and factions led by Bertrand were born, the French people saw hope, although Germany was already in full swing in Europe at that time, and France was only concerned with strengthening the Maginot Line, and did not want to support other countries to maintain balance with Germany.
In June 1940, Pétain formed a cabinet and surrendered to Germany. Northern France and the entire Atlantic coast were buried to Germany as a position of war against Britain, and overseas colonies and territories such as French North and French West Africa and French Indochina were also subjugated to Nazi Germany.
The story of "Shirley the GreyHound" begins in this historical period, and the atmosphere of war is everywhere in the book, and the humiliation of the defeated country is everywhere. Nazi German officers casually went to the homes of ordinary people to rummage through boxes and cabinets in search of food; Shirley bit the German soldier, Mr. Mayor nodded and apologized, and no one in the whole town of St. Martin dared to look the German Nazis in the eye. It was precisely because of the French people's aversion to war and the pursuit of a peaceful time that the mighty France was reduced to a prisoner in just over forty days.
In the words of a German lieutenant: "France is a country of freedom, eight-year-olds do not go to school, roam the mountains all day, no wonder you are defeated in just over a month." ”
So I think that Nicholas Vanier, in conceiving these plots, in addition to focusing on the deep catastrophe facing the defeated countries, he wanted to awaken the sleeping people to rise up against it, and the whole novel revolves around this, even if in the dark abyss, the people around them have succumbed, and there will still be a small number of people like Guillaume and Sebastian who are silently resisting. And as long as a few people in a nation do not die, even the greatest darkness can see the light again.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > ii, the symbolism of the characters in the novel outlines the darkness behind the children's book</h1>
The portrayal of the character is the biggest highlight of Nicholas Vanier's novel, in which a total of 5 main characters are portrayed, namely the eight-year-old boy Sebastian, the doctor Guillaume, the baker Angelina, the German lieutenant, the old shepherd Caesar and a greyhound Shirley, each of whom symbolizes a different meaning, almost encompassing the entire life history of France as a defeated country during World War II.
Behind any war is the purpose of the primitive accumulation of capital. At the end of World War I, Germany was defeated, directly losing 3/1 of its territory and 10/1 of its population. As a well-known military force, Germany wanted to restore its former glory, it could only pin its hopes on starting a war, Germany unilaterally tore up the Treaty of Versailles, and the Second World War was on the verge of breaking out. After the german occupation of France, it began a "comprehensive sweeping policy" with insufficient supplies. In "Shirley the GreyHound", the German Nazis, represented by the lieutenant, came to the town of St. Martin to loot at every turn, swept away the food and valuable things they went, and also used the power in their hands to threaten Celestina to deliver thirty pounds of bread a week, and did not provide flour. "The border guard squad led by the German lieutenant, the crimes they committed in the town are actually symbolic of the crimes committed by Germany after the occupation of France, but another meaning of the children's book is to purify the soul and guide the children upwards, at the end of the novel Nicholas Vanier resolutely whitewashes the German lieutenant, so that the children believe that there are good people in the world, as long as they do not give up hope, they can be redeemed, but the crimes they have committed are unforgivable.
Dr. Guillaume, in peacetime, his duty was only to save lives, and after the outbreak of war, he shouldered a more important responsibility on his shoulders, helping the Jews escape from France, flying over the German Nazi blockade and snatching their lives from their hands. Jews in general had flexible minds, were able to do business, and controlled the economic lifeblood of Germany and Europe as a whole. On the eve of World War II, when Hitler was preparing war supplies and money, the Jews preferred to pour milk into the river rather than sponsor it to Hitler for supplies. Hitler, who had been discriminated against since childhood, wanted to prove his strength when he had power. So he ordered the Jews to be hunted down, looted their money, and sent to concentration camps for torture to death. Guillaume took on the mission of escorting Jews to new sanctuaries, relying on his tenacious perseverance and selfless spirit to send one Jews after another out of France. He symbolizes that after the fall of France, those guerrillas who silently fought for justice, it is precisely because of their existence that the glory of humanity shines into French society.
Angelina's bakery symbolizes the new industry in France, which has emerged with the development of the economy and represents the economic strength of France. Caesar's sheep ranch symbolized the traditional industries of France, both of which inevitably became a material source for the Nazis in Germany during World War II, and were severely damaged. Celestina worked day and night to produce thirty pounds of bread for german soldiers, which was an experience that was not usually experienced; the old man Caesar herded sheep year after year, and in the end he was reduced to the plate of German soldiers, highlighting the destruction of the French industrial chain by the war.
Women and children, as vulnerable groups in society, are the most deeply poisoned when war strikes. Sebastian was born with a mother who died, was saved by old man Caesar, and has been living by lies, wandering in the mountains every day, having no friends but to take a dog as a friend, missing his distant mother alone, always believing that she will come back at Christmas. The moment the lie was exposed, he learned from Caesar: "His mother is a gypsy, as if she were on the run, and she asked me to take care of you, so she closed her eyes." "If there is no war, Sebastian will live with his mother, and her mother can watch him grow up, but if there is no if, only the end that has become a foregone conclusion, Sebastian is a symbol of those who suffered because of the war.
As a dog, Shirley exists like an elf and is Nicholas Vannier's favorite protagonist. Its white fluff and witty mind brought Sebastian endless joy. She has a kind heart to help the people who have hurt her in spite of her previous suspicions, and to bring new hope to people in the dark. It is also because of Shirley's presence that the scene, which was originally full of dull atmosphere, also become warm and moving. It's as if we're not looking at a novel about the World War II period, but a touching fairy tale, which may be the reason why Shirley the GreyHound came out as a children's book, and it is the best gift that Nicholas Vannier gave to children.
<h1 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" > third, the "traitor" during the fall of France, but illuminated the whole of France</h1>
After Marshal Pétain declared an armistice to Germany at noon on 16 June 1940, General de Gaulle immediately gave a radio address on the 18th calling on the people to unite under the flag of France libre Free France to continue the battle to the end. Thus gaining the recognition and support of some of the French overseas colonies, and constantly persuading the vast French overseas colonies in the occupied areas to join the battle during World War II, and finally counterattacking the European continent with the allies of various countries to restore the whole territory of France. It was only general de Gaulle's manifesto that had been ostracized by the Pétain government, which had to go to London for help, and the British government, headed by Winston Churchill, recognized de Gaulle only as the leader of the Free France.
The greatest crime committed by the German Nazis during World War II was the massacre of the powerless Jews, which almost put them in danger of genocide. Both anti-Semitic and supporters in France spontaneously rose up against the barbarism of the German Nazis and helped them escape from France and gain asylum. Adolf Kaminsky was a great hero who saved tens of millions of Jews by giving false testimony, and he mistakenly entered the workshop of the Jewish resistance movement to plan forge documents, thus beginning his aggrieved and helpless, noble and low-key life, helping innocent Jews escape concentration camps and escape Nazi persecution.
He once said: "I don't dare to rest because he can make 30 documents every hour, and if he sleeps for an extra hour, 30 people will lose their lives." ”
In the book "They Love Life", the suicide note of the French Communist Martyrs is introduced in detail, most of them were soldiers who had made great achievements on the battlefield or technicians working in important fields, and after the fall of France, they had been persecuted to death on the charges of "treason" and "rebel", but in the suicide note to his wife, children and mothers, there was no trace of remorse, and it was precisely because of the silent resistance of these people France was able to turn night into day during World War II.
Nicholas Vaniye, at the end of the book Shirley the Greyhound, also borrows Celestina's words to say this implication. After Angelina and Sebastian sent the Zeller family to the border, she and Sebastian said, "I'm not going back with you, I'm going to London, everything that's happening now... We can no longer succumb so unresponsively. I swear I'll be back as soon as the war is over. London was the gathering place for General de Gaulle's brave men to prepare their armies against the Nazis, and Angelina's visit also hinted that France's tomorrow would go to light, in keeping with the original intention of Nicolas Vaniers, who walked in the darkness but found that the light of humanity could also shine so brightly.
This time, you are not alone in the battle, even if life is stormy and snowy, we must go forward together.
<h1 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" > [Conclusion].</h1>
The shock brought to me by "Shirley the GreyHound" is a book that needs to be carefully tasted through the words and lines to understand its true meaning.
It began with a children's book, carries history, brings me silent touch and warmth, and is a book of mankind in the true sense.
If you also yearn for a fairy tale life, a child living in your heart, or want to understand the history of World War II, you can open this book, it will bring you a different feeling.
(References: History of the Second World War, "They Loved Life")