To push Germany into an effort to circumvent via Switzerland or Belgium. In the 17th century, from his luxurious palace at Versailles, Louis XIV oversaw the construction of citadels and fortresses meant to mark and protect the Sun King's territory. Frieda ran from the house to find her parents, who were in the garden, and told them what had happened. Maureen is light-skinned and wealthy. Battles on the Western front were little effected by the Line. Why does Maureen have a privilege status in the school community? Gros Ouvrages: These fortresses were the most important fortifications on the Maginot Line, having the sturdiest construction and the heaviest artillery. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The passage is written with poetic tone, turning Blue Jack into something like a figure of myth, male and strong and holding up the watermelon so that it blocks out the sun. Morrison Deconstructs White Standards of Beauty in The Bluest Eye, The Unexamined Other: Confronting the Social Hypocrisy of Maureen in The Bluest Eye. The Maginot Lines nickname comes from the bulky defensive fortifications built before World War II to protect the border of France from Germany. They fought for four years in WWI, but were done in a week in WWII." 15. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. Maginot Line, elaborate defensive barrier in northeast France constructed in the 1930s and named after its principal creator, Andr Maginot, who was France's minister of war in 1929-31. Frieda and Claudia are confused about what ruined means and worry that Frieda will become fat like the Maginot Line. The girl is the daughter of the family that employs Breedlove as a servant. The Maginot Line allowed France to defend its border with Germany with second-rate fortress troops. Frieda and Claudia walk to the lakefront houses, in a beautiful neighborhood with a park that is for white children only. They also misinterpret Mrs. MacTeer's words and attempt to avert Frieda's "ruin," misunderstanding the words of adults. An advancing German army would first be spotted by camouflaged observation points hugging the German border. She seems to see herself as an aggressor, but she has also suffered in her life. Once the French forces left the Rhineland in 1930, this form of leverage with the Rhineland as collateral was no longer available to Paris, which from then on had to depend on Berlin's word that it would continue to abide by the terms of the Versailles and Locarno treaties, which stated that the Rhineland was to stay demilitarised forever. She takes care of the Fishers better than her own family, and there is a strange parallel between her care of the Fishers' daughter and the care of blonde dolls described by Claudia earlier in the novel. By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. [46] Historians have pointed to numerous reasons for the French defeat: faulty strategy and doctrine, dispersion of forces, the loss of command and control, poor communications, faulty intelligence that provided excessive German numbers, the slow nature of the French response to the German penetration of the Ardennes and a failure to understand the nature and speed of the German doctrine. Soaphead Church is self-deluding, unhappy, and megalomaniacal. She then tells the girls that they can wait with her until Pecola is back, offering them pop to drink while they wait. He is a kind man and excellent storyteller. Attacking on 10 May, German forces were well into France within five days and they continued to advance until 24 May, when they stopped near Dunkirk. Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel. PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. She lies in an empty lot ruminating and then heads home. On 15 June, infantry divisions of the German 7th Army attacked across the Rhine River in Operation "Small Bear", penetrating the defences deep and capturing the cities of Colmar and Strasbourg. Pecola, already showing signs of pregnancy, comes to him and asks for blue eyes. Save over 50% with a SparkNotes PLUS Annual Plan! Pecolas father, who is impulsive and violentfree, but in a dangerous way. The line included the following retractable turrets. During the advance to the English Channel, the Germans overran France's border defence with Belgium and several Maginot Forts in the Maubeuge area whilst the Luftwaffe simply flew over it. When he returned, Mr. and Mrs. MacTeer attacked him. They could be single (with a firing room in one direction) or double (two firing rooms in opposite directions). He is a pedophile who loves to touch little girls. Nonetheless, in 1927, the Inter-Allied Commission, which was responsible for ensuring that Germany complied with Part V of the Treaty of Versailles, was abolished as a goodwill gesture reflecting the "Spirit of Locarno". The old women of the community, matriarchs described with great reverence by the narrator, take care of Aunt Jimmy and she seems to get better. [44] Romanych and Rupp indicate that except for the loss of several insignificant fortifications from insufficient defending troops, the actual fortifications and troops "withstood the test of battle", repulsed numerous attacks, and "withstood intense aerial and artillery bombardment". They associate being "ruined" with the prostitutes, as they sense it has something to do with distasteful sexual interactions like the one Frieda experienced, and assume because Miss Marie is fat, she must be ruined. I seem to recall you are new to the game. ouvrages to be ready at their battle stations. In her distress, Mrs. MacTeer sings about a place far from Loraine, Ohio, signifying a desire to escape her current situation. In contrast, the propaganda about the line made it appear far greater a construction than it was; illustrations showed multiple storeys of interwoven passages and even underground rail yards and cinemas. Don't worry none.". French strategy, therefore, envisioned a move into Belgium to counter a German assault. He cannot stand contact with people, but he hoards the little bits of junk from people's everyday lives. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. She reacts to the little white girl by soothing her, by promising to replace the cobbler, which shows both her own servitude and her preference for the white child over her own daughter. There are 142 ouvrages, 352 casemates, 78 shelters, 17 observatories and around 5,000 blockhouses in the Maginot Line.[a]. Free trial is available to new customers only. Their crew consisted of between 100 and 200 men. But modern historians are increasingly making a bold claim: It wasn't the Maginot Line that failed, it was diplomacy and French armored tactics. You can view our. ", "Opinion The difficult truths behind 'Dunkirk', The Maginot Line (French/English/German/Italian), Fortress of Schoenenbourg, (French/English/German/Italian), The U.S. Army vs. Her desire to disavow her daughter is proved when the white girl asks who the black children were and Mrs. Breedlove avoids answering her. The Maginot Line was impervious . Kaufmann, J.E., Kaufmann, H.W., Jancovi-Potonik, A. and Lang, P. This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 20:42. [10], The training was carried out at a fortress near the town of Bitche in Moselle in Lorraine, built in a military training area and so capable of live fire exercises. But does that mean that the Maginot Line was the colossal blunder that many historians have made it out to be? The false sense of security contributed "to the development of the "Maginot mentality". The MacTeers boarder, who has a reputation for being a steady worker and a quiet man. The kitchen is spotless, with white porcelain and white woodwork. After that, her marriage with Cholly deteriorates rapidly. A period of sustained Francophobia broke out in Britain, with Poincar being vilified in Britain as a cruel bully punishing Germany with unreasonable reparations demands. Although we are told that Cholly has no sense of fatherhood because he never knew his own parents (a statement which emphasizes social forces rather than Cholly's choices), we are also told repeatedly that Cholly is dangerously free. [26] The French imported a third of their coal from Britain, and 32 percent of all imports through French ports were carried by British ships. As the line was surrounded, the German Army attacked a few ouvrages from the rear but was unsuccessful in capturing any significant fortifications. Pauline describes the first steady job she landed, working as a housekeeper for an ungenerous and pretentious white family. She is pretty, playful andaffectionate. When she touches it, the cobbler falls off the counter and onto the floor, blueberry juice splattering everywhere. The Germany-facing section of the Maginot Line presented a string of obstacles, traps and artillery forts that ran 16 miles (25 kilometers) deep in places. The Maginot Line took 10 years to build, starting in 1929. A co-worker and friend of Chollys during his boyhood. Her differing reactions to Pecola and the little white girl further this idea. Dont have an account? The problem was that Maginot Line, a great line of fortifications that spanned France's borders with several neighbors, was essentially a glorified trench. He is fiercely protective of his daughters. Although the name "Maginot Line" suggests a relatively thin linear fortification, it was pretty deep, varying (from the German border to the rear area) from 2025 kilometres (1216 miles). Her experience of unwanted sexual attention contrasts sharply with Pecolas rape experience, in which Pecolas father not only fails to protect her, but is the perpetrator himself. The World War II German invasion plan of 1940 (Sichelschnitt) was designed to deal with the line. Line of fortifications along the French/German border, 1927: Allied Control Commission abolished. Built between 1930 and 1940, it was one of the world's most impressive forts, yet it proved to be almost . LitCharts Teacher Editions. China, Poland, and Miss Marie Character Timeline in The Bluest Eye Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Pauline, in turn, humanizes the horse, and understands that by looking into the animal's eyes one can see that its feelings are as real as those of a human being. She then comforts the little white girl and begins to clean the black stain off of her pink dress. However, Frieda is crying now because Miss Dunion's words have taken hold; she's worried now that she's "ruined." She allows the girls inside. Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! She loses her tooth, Pauline tells us, while biting into a piece of candy at the movies. Following the First World War, the French government and military officials feared another war with Germany would occur sometime in the future. Love in the Bluest Eye is often paired with violence. In the wake of that catastrophic war, the French government vowed to protect its vulnerable northeast border with Germany from any future attacks. If the animal eats the meat and behaves strangely, her wish will be granted. Mrs. Breedlove sticks her head out the door, is introduced to the girls, and tells them they can wait with Pecola for the laundry and then walk back to town with her. As a young boy, Cholly has a great friend in old Blue Jack, an older black man who works at the feed store. Instead of worrying that her own daughter has been burned by the hot berries, she pushes Pecola down into the pie juice. 20% It turns out that Henry touched Friedas breasts. [31] Stephen Ambrose wrote that in January 1945, "a part of the line was used for the purpose it had been designed for and showed what a superb fortification it was." These women are prostitutes. Pecolas mother, who believes that she is ugly; this belief has made her lonely and cold. 16. On a Saturday in spring, Claudia goes inside and finds Frieda crying. Maginot Line. The Maginot Line was invulnerable to aerial bombings and tank fire; it featured underground railways as a backup. Soaphead Church proceeds to write a letter to God, in which he blames God for making the world badly. They understand that China and Poland are ruined as well but think that they are not fat because they drink whiskey. The design of the casemates is similar to the ones found in the southern part of the Maginot Line, and photographs of them are often confused with Maginot forts. Complete your free account to request a guide. Pauline learns to love the soft blonde hair of her employers' child and despise the thicker black curls of her own daughter. for a customized plan. [47][48] More seriously, historians have noted rather than the Germans doing what the French had envisioned, the French played into the Germans' hand, culminating in their defeat. Even as an adult, Mrs. Breedlove is inferior to the little white girl, as shown when the little girl calls her by the nickname "Polly." When the little white girl asks Mrs. Breedlove who the black girls were, Mrs. Breedlove assures her that she doesn't need to know: "Hush. Claudia suggests that they try to get Pecola to help them find some whiskey, reasoning that Pecola should be able to help them because Cholly is always drunk. Pecola faints from the pain, and when she wakes she can't remember what happened. (one code per order). Winston Churchill. These were buried concrete bunkers designed to house and shelter up to a company of infantry (200 to 250 men). Continue to start your free trial. Belgium was overrun, and British and French forces evacuated at Dunkirk. The final line was strongest around the industrial regions of Metz, Lauter and Alsace, while other areas were, in comparison, only weakly guarded. Pecola and the MacTeers leave the house in shame, laundry bag in tow, and as they leave they can hear Mrs. Breedlove fussing over the little white girl, who is crying. Neglected by her parents, married to an alcoholic, black, poor, uneducated, and female, few choices are left to her. The pie that should become a pleasant memory for Pecola will only be a pleasant memory for the little white girl"Polly" exerts all her effort in trying to make the house of the white folks feel like a home. Did you know you can highlight text to take a note? By early June, the German forces had cut off the line from the rest of France, and the French government was making overtures for an armistice, which was signed on 22 June in Compigne. But World War I worsened the problem. Fortress construction in France continued through the 19th century. The hot pie filling burns Pecola's legs painfully, but when Mrs. Breedlove returns and sees the mess she runs to Pecola and backhands her, knocking the girl down. Artillery was coordinated with protective measures to ensure that one fort could support the next in line by bombarding it directly without harm. The largest of these structures, Fort Douaumont, was captured by the Germans in 1915 and triggered the infamous Battle of Verdun, the longest and bloodiest battle of WWI, claiming 400,000 French casualties and 350,000 German losses. You'll be billed after your free trial ends. French decision-makers believed they needed Britain's help to win another war; the French could only go so far with alienating the British. The fights become more and more violent. When the girls witness Miss Marie's ugliness first hand, their misunderstood notion of what it means to be "ruined" is fully recognized. Please wait while we process your payment. Despite its monumental concrete glory, which was the pride of interwar France, the Maginot Line ultimately wasn't able to stop Adolf Hitler's Nazi war machine from quickly overwhelming and occupying France in World War II. Sadly, Maureen uses what they admire against them, she even taunts Picola with Bluest Eye study guide contains a biography of Toni Morrison, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. sfn error: no target: CITEREFJacobsen1994 (, repeat of their First World War battle plan, British hardened field defences of World War II, Commission for Organising the Fortified Regions, "What's the stupidest thing a nation has ever done? $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% Indeed, Belgium feared it would be sacrificed in the event of another German invasion. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. The Maginot Line by Bryan J. Dickerson, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Maginot_Line&oldid=1141389027, Military installations established in 1930, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from February 2011, Articles with French-language sources (fr), Articles with Czech-language sources (cs), Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Mostly intact, through the preservation of the French Government, To save manpower (France counted 39 million inhabitants, Germany 70 million), To cover the mobilisation of the French Army. The dog devours the meat and dies almost immediately, and Pecola flees in terror. The defences were first proposed by Marshal Joseph Joffre. We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. [17] Versailles did not call for military sanctions in the event of the German military reoccupying the Rhineland or breaking Part V, while Locarno committed Britain and Italy to come to French aid in the event of a "flagrant violation" of the Rhineland's demilitarised status, it did not define what a "flagrant violation" would be. [50] Kaufmann and Kaufmann point to the Maginot Line along the Italian border, which "demonstrated the effectiveness of the fortifications when properly employed".[51]. "With the Maginot Line, Joffre's idea was to take these fortifications that France had had for 200 years and bring them into the mid-20th century," says Kirchubel. After a brief rest, Frieda is more determined than ever to go and find Pecola. He rents from an old woman with a nasty, aging dog named Bob. At fifteen, she meets Cholly; they marry and move far up to the North. Read an in-depth analysis of Pauline Breedlove. [9], Full-time Maginot Line troops were accommodated in barracks built close to the fortresses. There are hints that his mother was insane. She finds a permanent job working for a wealthy and warm-hearted white family called the Fishers. Based on France's experience with trench warfare during World War I, the massive Maginot Line was built in the run-up to World War II, after the Locarno Conference in 1925 gave rise to a fanciful and optimistic "Locarno spirit". The latter meant the next war's destructive consequences would not take place on French soil. THE MAGINOT LINE I31 ernment.I As a result, much of the spirit of the reform was quietly nullified, though the law, including the two-year service, remained on the statute books. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. Nobody is home when they arrive at the Breedloves' storefront apartment. 14. Elihue hates the animal and longs to poison it, but he convinces himself that he wishes to poison it for the animal's own sake. [24] The Germans were expected to fight costly offensives, whose failures would sap the strength of the Reich, while the French waged a total war, mobilising the resources of France, its empire and allies. Both static and mobile artillery units were assigned to defend the Maginot Line. These impressive fortifications 142 large artillery forts called ouvrages or "works," 352 fortified gun emplacements called "casemates," and 5,000 smaller bunkers and pillboxes became known as the Maginot Line, named after the French politician Andr Maginot (pronounced Mah-ji-noh). Youve successfully purchased a group discount. Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. $24.99 The Maginot Line is upstairs on the porch drinking root beer, and she tells the children that Pecola is helping her mother at her workplace. In 1940, France deployed about twice as many men, 36 divisions (roughly one third of its force), for the defence of the Maginot Line in Alsace and Lorraine. Your group members can use the joining link below to redeem their group membership. A decoy force sat opposite the line while a second Army Group cut through the Low Countries of Belgium and the Netherlands, as well as through the Ardennes Forest, which lay north of the main French defences. Published April 09, 2021 03:43:00. My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class., Requesting a new guide requires a free LitCharts account. The Germans then broke through the fortification line as defending French forces retreated southward. French military chiefs were dubious about their ability to win another war against Germany on its own, especially an offensive war. Morrison also manages to humanize Marie (the Maginot Line) without sugar-coating her. She finds Frieda upstairs crying. By asking Frieda if she just sat there, Claudia displays her ignorance of the realities of male oppression of women. It is also possible that Miss Mary Mack comes from the slang meaning of mack for a "pimp" or "flirting," dating back to the late 1800s. Teachers and parents! She becomes sole breadwinner while Sammy and Pecola are still young. Origin of Marie. Heavy rail artillery was hauled by locomotives to planned locations to support the emplaced artillery in the fortresses, which was intentionally limited in range to 1012km (67mi). The girls that they can wait with her until Pecola is back, offering them pop to while. The lakefront houses, in a week in WWII. after a rest... 18.74/Subscription + tax, save 25 % Indeed, Belgium feared it would sacrificed. Attacked him for an ungenerous and pretentious white family like the Maginot Line, having the construction! She landed, working as a servant black curls of her pink dress the Line... 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