Book 2 Chapter 23: Fire Rises

1. Book 2 Chapter 23: Fire Rises Title Meaning: Fires are set in villages all over France that lead to the murders of area officials

2. Summary • Everything in the country had changed from what it had been before. The mender of roads (modern handyman) now was alone as he worked on things, compared to when there were always other people around. • A man walks up to the mender of roads and they talk for awhile. When the handyman is leaving, he wakes up the man and they go their separate ways. • On his way home, the mender of roads stopped in a village because everyone was out of their homes looking at a house. Later into the night, four men came out of the woods and lite the chateau on fire. • A man came out of the chateau and went to get soldiers to help him save things, but they ignored him and said “It must burn.” • The chateau burns down and Monsieur Gabelle hides in his house because the villagers were trying to kill him. • In villages all around fires were set and the official of the area was killed

3. Literary Devices • Repetition- the word “every” is repeated to get the point across that everything felt the affects of war “Every green leaf, every blade of grass and blade of grain…” (pg. 229) 2. Simile- used to compare all of the bad affects of war to miserable people “…everything was as shriveled and poor as the miserable people.” (pg. 229) • Foreshadowing- it foreshadows that soldiers will start to give up on the war and not care anymore “…and answer, with shrugs and biting of lips, ‘It must burn.’” (pg. 234)

4. Important Quote “Within a hundred miles, and in the light of other fires, there were other functionaries less fortunate, that night and other nights, whom the rising son found hanging across once peaceful streets…” (pg. 235) This quote is saying that all around in nearby villages, fires were set and officials were killed. This is important because it is showing that the citizens are serious about the war and are willing to do anything to win.