Rifleman dodd book summary. The Riflemans Dodd 2022-10-27
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Rifleman Dodd is a historical fiction novel written by C.S. Forester. It tells the story of Matthew Dodd, a British soldier who becomes separated from his regiment during the Napoleonic Wars.
The book begins with Dodd being sent on a mission to deliver a message to another unit, but he becomes lost in the process. He wanders through the countryside, trying to find his way back to his regiment. Along the way, he encounters several challenges, including fighting off French soldiers and surviving in the wilderness.
Despite the many obstacles he faces, Dodd remains determined to complete his mission and find his way back to his regiment. He is resourceful and uses his knowledge of the land and his training as a soldier to help him survive.
One of the main themes of the book is the importance of perseverance and determination. Dodd never gives up, even when the odds seem insurmountable. He constantly pushes himself to keep going, even when it would be easier to give up. This determination ultimately pays off, as Dodd is able to complete his mission and return to his regiment.
Another theme of the book is the impact of war on the individual. Throughout the novel, Dodd witnesses and experiences the horrors of war firsthand. He sees the devastation it can cause and the toll it takes on those who fight in it. Despite this, he remains committed to his duty as a soldier and serves his country to the best of his ability.
In conclusion, Rifleman Dodd is a compelling and inspiring story about a soldier's determination and perseverance in the face of unimaginable challenges. It highlights the impact of war on the individual and the importance of staying true to one's duty, even in the most difficult of circumstances.
Rifleman Dodd Summary
Matthew experienced the death of a lot of his friends which he made in Portugal, his two friends from Portugal were hanged before his eyes. After two months of guerrilla fighting, Dodd hears artillery fire from about ten miles away. And endure he does. He's not entirely unsympathetic to the French, which is no easy task given that they entered Spain as supposed allies and proceeded to loot, pillage, murder, and rape their way through the Spanish and Portuguese countryside. The irony of the outcome fortunately is known only to the reader -- while Dodd gets back to his men. One big scene has him sabotaging by arson the French attempt to build a pontoon bridge across a river.
The account makes a nice short novel and is bound with another from the same period, "The Gun". He becomes detached from his regiment and has to somehow survive a bleak Portuguese winter whilst under threat of attack from the French. One GR reviewer states that there is not much dialogue, which is true, because Dodd can speak very little Portuguese and the Portuguese no English; besides one does not talk much while behind enemy lines I would imagine and then only very much to the point of tactics. One by one he kills them while doing his duty and never even thinking that these young men are just like him and at any time other than war they would all be good friends. Whenever Dodd is being followed, the story tells of the struggle that he is stuck going through, having to starve and only having a biscuit and jerky in his rucksack: or having to march on while his boots are completely destroyed and he is stuck walking barefoot.
Rifleman Dodd Report And Summary Essay (400 Words)
Still an excellent read and well - written and described by Forester. He then finds himself alone and has to discover how to continue the fight while looking for scarce food, shelter, etc. This would be a book that I would someday give to my children to read. On his way he is helped by various people from Portugal and begins to understand their fight against the French. Late one night, he kills the sentries, sets fire to the bridge materials, and withdraws. He even did some training at Shornecliffe. For both deal with the sort of guerilla warfare Hemingway writes of in For Whom the Bell Tolls, Caldwell in All Through the Night.
Returning to it 50 or so years later I read it with greater understanding of the history and of human nature. Likewise, when the story turns to Sergeant Godinot on the French side, the narration remains passionless. He patiently hides in the rocks watching the business of the camp for several days. Rifleman Dodd becomes separated from his company while fighting the French in Spain. He does not overstep, he does not give up. From the safety of the rocks, Dodd looks back to see his friends hanged. His logic is cold and passionless as he lives off the land, occasionally receiving help from Portuguese guerrillas and occasionally harassing the French.
Forester wrote another book Rifleman Dodd becomes separated from his company while fighting the French in Spain. Then they set out to find the new bridge-building headquarters. There are many who give up, and many who procrastinate, but there are some who go on. Through listening to Li Van Hgoc at the "tea party" the platoon…. I found myself drawn into the storyline and genuinely felt empathy and sympathy with the characters of all nations, but particularly with Dodd.
And that is a problem. Despite the best efforts of the French troops, most of the bridge is destroyed. In the book and real life men go through what all the characters in The Things They Carried did. What was a real eye opener for me, was just how miserable the Portuguese and the French soldiers had it back then and the atrocities they would carry out towards each other. He resolutely goes on alone, and finds the French encampment. He's also one that I was totally unfamiliar with, or with the fact that this creation and story inspired A name that is probably more familiar - perhaps even all but synonymous - with his most famous literary creation, Horatio Hornblower. Henry regains his courage and fight like a true soldier and they win the battle.
This book is pretty interesting and brings up a lot of good issues. This was, supposedly, one of the inspirations for Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe books, and I can see how. Godinot must deal with Dodd's activities that slowly whittle down his men. Chapters will go by quite enjoyably, and then the author waxes eloquent on the virtues of blind commitment, duty, and how good soldiers focus solely on their mission regardless of scenario. One underlying theme that the novel displays is the way people experience war. He also has flashbacks when he remembers his failures during the war.
Rifleman Dodd Summary and Analysis (like SparkNotes)
Forester's message: In the end War makes animals of everybody involved. They slaughter the mule and smoke the meat, giving them enough food in their packs for several weeks. At the same time the story is a grim reminder of the destructive capabilities of war, especially to the civilians who suffer the most. Unaccustomed to personal heroics, he still manages to cause a good deal of damage to the French. But after reading it for a while, I started to appreciate the author's way of describing the characters and actions in this book.
It's an excellent glimpse into the hardships of military life during the Napoleonic Wars, and to his credit, Forester also provides chapters describing the same experience from the perspective of the French units. In an attempt to get around the French, he heads for the Tagus River, hoping to follow it to Lisbon. What follows is the story of a fighting man determined to return to his group, using all the knowledge and skill taught him by the Army to make his way home while avoiding capture and discomfiting the enemy whenever possible. Also includes sites with a short overview, synopsis, book report, or summary of C. The three men retreat toward the hills above the river village; they find that 1,000 fresh enemy troops routed and killed all the Portuguese guerrillas and seized their women. It was at its worse before the battle had even begun. For example, he would sleep with his pack on his back sitting straight up with his rifle in his hands just in case he had to continue the fight if something went wrong around him during the night.
