# The Woodcocks explained — Short Fiction

> Chapter companion for Short Fiction by Guy de Maupassant.

## What happens

The narrator writes to a friend in Paris, explaining his absence during woodcock season. He describes his rustic life in Normandy with the d'Orgemol brothers, their hunting rituals, and the anticipation of the first frost. The chapter culminates in a story told by Farmer Picot about a deaf-mute shepherd named Gargan, who killed his unfaithful wife and was acquitted on grounds of honor.

## Themes in this chapter

### Cruelty and Suffering

The brutal murder of the Wee Drop by her husband Gargan, and the court's reaction, highlight the cruelty inherent in human relationships and societal norms.

### Isolation and Loneliness

Gargan's life as a deaf-mute shepherd, living in a hut on wheels, underscores his profound isolation from society.

### Gender and Power

The story of Gargan and his wife illustrates the power dynamics in marriage, where female infidelity is punished by death, yet the husband is acquitted on grounds of honor.

## Character check-ins

### Guy de Maupassant

The narrator, writing to a friend from Normandy, describing his hunting life and recounting the story of Gargan.

### Simon Bombard

The elder d'Orgemol brother, who predicts the arrival of woodcocks based on wind and frost.

### Gaspard Hari

The younger d'Orgemol brother, more cautious in announcing the woodcock arrival; he fires the shot signaling their arrival.

### Old Amable

The deaf-mute shepherd, also called Gargan, who kills his wife for adultery and is acquitted.

## Key lines

> In Paris I feel as if I were never in the open air; for the streets are, after all, no more than vast public apartments, without ceilings.

In Paris, I never feel truly outdoors because the streets are like large rooms without roofs.

_The narrator contrasts the confined feeling of city life with the freedom of the countryside._

> He has his honour, this man before you.

This man has his honor.

_Farmer Picot's defense of Gargan, arguing that the murder was justified by the offense to his honor._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_23_se/chapters/the-woodcocks
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_23_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_23_se/chapters