Tuesday 1 September 2015

CLASS 12 WK BK PG 190 TO 192

(i) : Raina asks Bluntschli to be serious as she had been telling Bluntschli that the "particular friend", whom we later learn is named Stolz, had told Sergius and Paul about Catherine and Raina having given Blunstschli refuge in their home. Bluntschli does not seem to be overly concerned about the impact the story would have on Sergius and Paul and merely pretends concern. When Raina had told Bluntschli that Sergius would challenge him to a duel and kill him he replies "Bless me ! Than don't tell him" - i.e. then don't tell Sergius that the man given refuge is none other than Bluntschli.
       Raina says that she cannot deceive Sergius. Raina is acting out with that "noble attitude" and "thrilling voice" with which she has deceived so many persons and with which she presently pretends and acts out the "higher love" to Sergius.

(ii) : In this extract Raina says "I want to be quite perfect with Sergius : no meanness, no smallness, no deceit. My relation to him is the one really beautiful and noble part of my life." Raina in this extract continues to put on the "noble attitude", of "higher love" which she had recently been acting out with Sergius after they were left alone for the first time since Sergius' return from the war. But we know that this disposition is a pretense. She had further asked Bluntschli "can you realise what it is to me to deceive him?" - yet she had not only given refuge to Bluntschli (the enemy), which at best we could consider to be the result of her compassionate nature, but she had also kept a portrait of herself in his pocket with the words ""Raina, to her chocolate cream soldier : a souvenir" - which is quite deceitful. However, we could excuse Raina's mixed communications as the reactions of a young lady torn in her emotions between a man whom she had hero-worshiped and a man whom she felt completely at ease in relating to.

(iii) : Raina would not like Sergius to find out the truth of the story invented by her about the 'chocolate cream soldier' because if Sergius found out that that story was not true, he would want to know what had caused Raina to make that exclamation when she entered the garden shortly after Bluntschli's arrival. He would probably then know that Raina had addressed Bluntschli as the 'chocolate cream soldier' and he might break off his engagement with Raina. The break off of the engagement might cause bitterness between the Saranoffs and the Petkoffs.

(iv) : Raina says that she had only told lies twice in her entire life.
         She says that she told the first lie to the Russian officer who had come to s3earch her room for the Serbian soldier who had been seen climbing onto her balcony. Raina had told the lie that she had seen no Serb and that she was sure that no one had entered her room, in roder to save Bluntschli.
         Raina says that she told the second lie - excusing her exclamation "Oh ! the chocolate cream soldier !" as an expression of her disappointment that Nicola had destroyed the beautiful ornament she had made for an ice pudding - in order as it is said here in the quote - to save Bluntschli's life.She says she made the escuse so that Sergius would not find out that Bluntschli was the 'chocolate cream soldeir' and thus challenge him to a duel for attempting to rob him of his fiance, a duel which might end in, she fears, Bluntschli being killed.

(v) : I believe that Raina has been confused regarding her true feelings regarding Sergius ever since 'The man' / Bluntschli came on the scene. While her relationship with Sergius carries on an artificial way of behaviour she has carried on with since her childhood, she has now met a person whom she has true affection for - not worshiping him or calling him her Lord, king and hero, but using words which capture her affection - "the poor darling" / 'chocolate cream soldier". Raina carries on with the pretence that she is still in love with Sergius and takes her engagement to him seriously until she is sure that Bluntschli will be truly hers.


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