A Fable: Analysis of Major Characters
"A Fable: Analysis of Major Characters" explores a narrative woven with themes of sacrifice, betrayal, and the quest for peace against the backdrop of war. Central to the story is the Corporal, a figure embodying Christ-like qualities, who, along with his twelve squad members, preaches peace and ultimately faces execution, paralleling the Passion of Christ. This character's journey raises questions of morality and redemption, as his actions lead to a temporary cease-fire on the Western front and culminate in a symbolic resurrection, with his remains honored as part of the Unknown Soldier's tomb.
Complementing the Corporal's narrative are characters such as the Marshal, his estranged father, who demonstrates a complex blend of omniscience and detachment, and General Gragnon, who confronts the consequences of loyalty and defiance in the face of authority. Other figures, like the Runner and the Quartermaster General, illustrate varying responses to the ideals represented by the Corporal, with some losing faith while others actively oppose the prevailing military ethos. Additional characters, including the Corporal's family and squad members, contribute to the themes of betrayal and familial connections. Overall, the character dynamics serve to reflect broader societal conflicts and the search for meaning amid the chaos of war.
A Fable: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: William Faulkner
First published: 1954
Genre: Novel
Plot: Allegory
Time: 1918
The Corporal, a Christlike soldier. Accompanied by his twelve squad members, the Corporal brings about a cease fire along the entire Western front by preaching peace on earth. His story bears a strong yet often subtle resemblance to the life of Christ, the Passion, and the Crucifixion as events unfold that correspond in some degree to the birth, the betrayal, the denial, the Last Supper, and the death of Christ. Refusing an offer of freedom, the Corporal is executed between two murderers and buried at his sister's farm. Shellfire destroys the grave, but, ironically, his body is recovered and placed in the Unknown Soldier's tomb. These events suggest resurrection and immortality of a sort.
The Marshal, commander-in-chief of the Allied armies in France. As a young man stationed in the Middle East, he had seduced a woman and fathered a son who turns out to be the Corporal. The old man never seems surprised by the turn of events and apparently is omniscient. He offers the Corporal an opportunity to escape but must order his execution when he refuses.
General Gragnon, the French division commander. When his regiment refuses to attack the German line, he arrests the entire three thousand and insists upon his own arrest. While in prison, he is executed by a brutal American soldier named Buchwald.
The Quartermaster General, the Marshal's former fellow student. After the Corporal's execution, he loses faith in the cause for which the Marshal stands.
The Runner, a former officer. Sympathizing with the Corporal's aims, he is crippled in a surprise barrage while fraternizing with the Germans. At the Marshal's funeral, he throws a medal obtained at the Corporal's grave at the caisson and shouts his derision and defiance.
Marthe, the Corporal's younger half sister.
Marya, the Corporal's feeble-minded half sister.
Polchek, the soldier in the Corporal's squad who betrays him.
Pierre Bouc, the soldier in the Corporal's squad who denies him.
The Corporal's Wife, a former prostitute.
Buchwald, the American soldier who executes General Gragnon.
The Reverend Tobe Sutterfield, an African American preacher.
David Levine, a British flight officer who commits suicide.