PROCESSING A SHORT STORY FOR A SUMMARY

A Duel

Guy de Maupassant

I. Unfamiliar words

1. clatter – to make a quick series of short loud sounds.
2. pulsating – to exhibit a pulse or pulsation.
3. hamlet – a small village.
4. astride – with legs stretched wide apart.
5. ravaged – an act or practice of ravaging.
6. hoarse – having a harsh or rough sound.
7. prudent – having or showing careful good judgment.
8. famine – a situation in which many people do not have enough food to eat, s tarvation.
9. paunch – a belly that sticks out specially on man.
10. savagery – a cruel or violent act or action.
11. ramparts – a tall, thick stone or dirt wall that is built around a castle, town, etc.
12. ramparts – a tall, thick stone or dirt wall that is built around a castle, town, etc.
13. whiskers – a hair that grows on a man's face.
14. lolling – to hang loosely or laxly.
15. conceitedly – having or showing too much pride in your own worth or goodness.
16. impassive – not showing emotions.
17. sneer – to smile or laugh at someone or something with an expression on your face that shows dislike and a lack of respect in a very own way.
18. valiant – having or showing courage: very brave or courageous.

II. Essence of the story

          "A Duel" is a short story about Mr. Dubuis's return after the German's conquered France.

III. Setting

     A. Place

          France – Paris – villages – fields – hamlets – houses – towns – Switzerland – home – railway - station – corner – horizon – Pharsbourg – roads – gates – cafes – Europe – Prussia – Austria –departments – Garde Mobile – city – island – platform – compartment – seat – Strasbourg –  ramparts – train - carriage

     B. Time

           The war was over – during the entire siege – before the invasion – events – past year – for the first time – a cold night – the train started again – In twenty years

IV. Characters

1. Mr. Dubuis
2. The Germans
3. German Soldiers
4. The passengers
5. Prussian Soldiers
6. National Guard
7. Englishmen
8. Frenchmen
9. Prussian detachment
10. Station Master

V. Characterization

1. Mr. Dubuis was a former National Guard in Paris and was on his way to join his wife and daughter but but he was prudently sent away to Switzerland before the invasion.
2. The Germans were the invaders that conquered France.
3. German Soldiers were the people that could be seen along the roads, on the edges of the field, standing in front of gates or chatting outside the cafes.
4. The passengers were the people that gazing through the windows in the train and watching at the ravaged fields and burned hamlets.
5. Prussian Soldiers were the people with black helmets with brass spikes smoking their pipes astride their chairs in front of the houses which were still left standing.
6. National Guard was Mr. Dubuis's former job in Paris during the entire siege.
7. Englishmen were the people showing impassive manner in the same railway carriage who had come to the country as sightseers gazing to Mr. Dubuis with the looks of quite curiosity.
8. Frenchmen stands for the character of Mr. Dubuis.
9. Prussian detachment were group of people that occupied the station.
10. Station Master was the person-in-charge of the train and giving warnings before the engine was getting up steam before starting off again.

VI. The Plot

               It appeared that Mr. Dubuis's journey back home from Paris by train have been filled of fear and danger when he saw the Prussians for the first time. In the same railway carriage their were two Englishmen that were gazing at him with the looks of curiosity and kept chatting in their own language. Suddenly the train stopped at a little village.He noticed a red haired Prussian Officer in uniform jumped up and started to stare at him but he just made a show of reading a newspaper and sat concealed in a corner like a thief in presence of a gendarme. As the train started again, the Englishmen when on chatting as one of them was blabbering about how he killed a dozen of Frenchmen and took more than a hundred in the village of Pharsbourg that he was pointing out. The train rolled on, victorious German army could be seen along the roads passing though occupied hamlets when the officer said that if he had been in command, he'll take Paris by burning everything and leaving no one alive and so no more France. The Englishman agreed to what the officer have said. The officer added that in twenty years all of Europe will belong to them and Prussia is more than a match for all of them but the Englishman was getting uneasy that he gone impassive and didn't replied to what the officer have said. The Prussian officer just laugh and start sneering on the places that they conquered. It became quiet that the Englishmen seemed became indifferent to all was going on. The officer took out his pipe and asked if he have any tabacco but then he replied that he don't have any. The officer even asked him to bought some when the train stops. As the train whistled, they stopped altogether at a station that had been burned down and the officer quickly grabbed his arm to bought what the officer have told but he rejected what the officer asked him to bought. The officer  got pissed and told him that the officer would cut off his mustache to fill its pipe and the officer put out his hand towards his face but he retained his impassive manner. The officer had already pulled out a few hairs and was still tugging at his mustache. When he, with a back stoke of his hand, he flung aside the officer's arm and seizing the officer by the collar and threw the officer down on the seat. He kept throttling the officer with one hand, while the other clenched he began to strike the officer violent blows in the face. He crushed the officer with his enormous weight when the officer try to draw his sword. He kept punching the officer without taking breath or knowing where his blows fell. Blood flowed down on the officer's face, the officer spat out his broken teeth and vainly strove to shake off Mr. Dubuis who was killing him. The other Englishmen came closer in order to see better,standing full of mirth and curiosity, ready to bet for, or against,either combatant. After that, he exhausted by his violent efforts, rose and resumed his seat without uttering a word. The officer was beaten to death but he was still able to told Mr. Dubuis that unless he was given a satisfaction with pistols, he would kill him but then Mr. Dubuis confidently replied that whenever the officer like, he's quite ready. While in Strasbourg, the officer told that he'll get two officers to be his seconds. Mr. Dubuis puffing as hard the engine told the Englishmen to be his seconds and they both answered together "Oh, yes!" and the train stopped. In a minute, the Prussian had found two comrades, who brought pistols and made their way towards the ramparts while the Englishmen were continually looking at their watches, shuffling their feet and hurrying on with the preparations, uneasy lest they should be too late for the train. Mr. Dubuis had never fired a pistol in his life. They made him stand twenty paces away from his enemy. He was asked: "Are you ready?" While he was answering, he noticed that one of the Englishmen had opened his umbrella in order to keep off the rays of the sun. A voice gave the signal: "Fire!" After he fired at random without delay, he was amazed to see the Prussian opposite him stagger,lift his arms and fall forward, dead. As he killed the officer, one of the Englishmen was quivering with delight,satisfied curiosity and joyous impatience exclaimed: "Ah!" and the other who kept his watch on his hand grabbed Mr. Dubuis hand and hurried him in double-quick time toward the station, marking the time of his fellow-countryman as he ran beside them counting "One, two; one, two!" Three of them who was running abreast rapidly,made their way to the station like a grotesque figures in a comic newspaper. The train was on the point of starting as they sprang into their carriage. Taking off their travelling caps and waved them three times over their heads, exclaiming: "Hip! Hip! Hip! Hurrah! And gravely, one after the other, they extended their right hands to Mr. Dubuis and then went back and sat down in their corner.

VII. Its Point of View

                The Author



VIII. Its Theme

               Anybody who thinks that he is more powerful than others by means of killings would not define that he is powerful enough because sometimes being wise is better than being brave.

IX. Writing the summary with a beginning, the body, and ending

a. The Beginning

              "A Duel" is a short story about Mr. Dubuis's return after the Germans's conquered France.

b. The body

               It appeared that Mr. Dubuis's journey back home from Paris by train have been filled of fear and danger when he saw the Prussians for the first time. In the same railway carriage their were two Englishmen that were gazing at him with the looks of curiosity and kept chatting in their own language. Suddenly the train stopped at a little village.He noticed a red haired Prussian Officer in uniform jumped up and started to stare at him but he just made a show of reading a newspaper and sat concealed in a corner like a thief in presence of a gendarme. As the train started again, the Englishmen when on chatting as one of them was blabbering about how he killed a dozen of Frenchmen and took more than a hundred in the village of Pharsbourg that he was pointing out. The train rolled on, victorious German army could be seen along the roads passing though occupied hamlets when the officer said that if he had been in command, he'll take Paris by burning everything and leaving no one alive and so no more France. The Englishman agreed to what the officer have said. The officer added that in twenty years all of Europe will belong to them and Prussia is more than a match for all of them but the Englishman was getting uneasy that he gone impassive and didn't replied to what the officer have said. The Prussian officer just laugh and start sneering on the places that they conquered. It became quiet that the Englishmen seemed became indifferent to all was going on. The officer took out his pipe and asked if he have any tabacco but then he replied that he don't have any. The officer even asked him to bought some when the train stops. As the train whistled, they stopped altogether at a station that had been burned down and the officer quickly grabbed his arm to bought what the officer have told but he rejected what the officer asked him to bought. The officer  got pissed and told him that the officer would cut off his mustache to fill its pipe and the officer put out his hand towards his face but he retained his impassive manner. The officer had already pulled out a few hairs and was still tugging at his mustache. When he, with a back stoke of his hand, he flung aside the officer's arm and seizing the officer by the collar and threw the officer down on the seat. He kept throttling the officer with one hand, while the other clenched he began to strike the officer violent blows in the face. He crushed the officer with his enormous weight when the officer try to draw his sword. He kept punching the officer without taking breath or knowing where his blows fell. Blood flowed down on the officer's face, the officer spat out his broken teeth and vainly strove to shake off Mr. Dubuis who was killing him. The other Englishmen came closer in order to see better,standing full of mirth and curiosity, ready to bet for, or against,either combatant. After that, he exhausted by his violent efforts, rose and resumed his seat without uttering a word. The officer was beaten to death but he was still able to told Mr. Dubuis that unless he was given a satisfaction with pistols, he would kill him but then Mr. Dubuis confidently replied that whenever the officer like, he's quite ready. While in Strasbourg, the officer told that he'll get two officers to be his seconds. Mr. Dubuis puffing as hard the engine told the Englishmen to be his seconds and they both answered together "Oh, yes!" and the train stopped. In a minute, the Prussian had found two comrades, who brought pistols and made their way towards the ramparts while the Englishmen were continually looking at their watches, shuffling their feet and hurrying on with the preparations, uneasy lest they should be too late for the train. Mr. Dubuis had never fired a pistol in his life. They made him stand twenty paces away from his enemy. He was asked: "Are you ready?" While he was answering, he noticed that one of the Englishmen had opened his umbrella in order to keep off the rays of the sun. A voice gave the signal: "Fire!" After he fired at random without delay, he was amazed to see the Prussian opposite him stagger,lift his arms and fall forward, dead. As he killed the officer, one of the Englishmen was quivering with delight,satisfied curiosity and joyous impatience exclaimed: "Ah!" and the other who kept his watch on his hand grabbed Mr. Dubuis hand and hurried him in double-quick time toward the station, marking the time of his fellow-countryman as he ran beside them counting "One, two; one, two!" Three of them who was running abreast rapidly,made their way to the station like a grotesque figures in a comic newspaper. The train was on the point of starting as they sprang into their carriage. Taking off their travelling caps and waved them three times over their heads, exclaiming: "Hip! Hip! Hip! Hurrah! And gravely, one after the other, they extended their right hands to Mr. Dubuis and then went back and sat down in their corner.

c. The Ending

               Anybody who thinks that he is more powerful than others by means of killings would not define that he is powerful enough because sometimes being wise is better than being brave.

X. Putting all of these together

              "A Duel" is a short story about Mr. Dubuis's return after the German's conquered France.

               It appeared that Mr. Dubuis's journey back home from Paris by train have been filled of fear and danger when he saw the Prussians for the first time. In the same railway carriage their were two Englishmen that were gazing at him with the looks of curiosity and kept chatting in their own language. Suddenly the train stopped at a little village.He noticed a red haired Prussian Officer in uniform jumped up and started to stare at him but he just made a show of reading a newspaper and sat concealed in a corner like a thief in presence of a gendarme. As the train started again, the Englishmen when on chatting as one of them was blabbering about how he killed a dozen of Frenchmen and took more than a hundred in the village of Pharsbourg that he was pointing out. The train rolled on, victorious German army could be seen along the roads passing though occupied hamlets when the officer said that if he had been in command, he'll take Paris by burning everything and leaving no one alive and so no more France. The Englishman agreed to what the officer have said. The officer added that in twenty years all of Europe will belong to them and Prussia is more than a match for all of them but the Englishman was getting uneasy that he gone impassive and didn't replied to what the officer have said. The Prussian officer just laugh and start sneering on the places that they conquered. It became quiet that the Englishmen seemed became indifferent to all was going on. The officer took out his pipe and asked if he have any tabacco but then he replied that he don't have any. The officer even asked him to bought some when the train stops. As the train whistled, they stopped altogether at a station that had been burned down and the officer quickly grabbed his arm to bought what the officer have told but he rejected what the officer asked him to bought. The officer  got pissed and told him that the officer would cut off his mustache to fill its pipe and the officer put out his hand towards his face but he retained his impassive manner. The officer had already pulled out a few hairs and was still tugging at his mustache. When he, with a back stoke of his hand, he flung aside the officer's arm and seizing the officer by the collar and threw the officer down on the seat. He kept throttling the officer with one hand, while the other clenched he began to strike the officer violent blows in the face. He crushed the officer with his enormous weight when the officer try to draw his sword. He kept punching the officer without taking breath or knowing where his blows fell. Blood flowed down on the officer's face, the officer spat out his broken teeth and vainly strove to shake off Mr. Dubuis who was killing him. The other Englishmen came closer in order to see better,standing full of mirth and curiosity, ready to bet for, or against,either combatant. After that, he exhausted by his violent efforts, rose and resumed his seat without uttering a word. The officer was beaten to death but he was still able to told Mr. Dubuis that unless he was given a satisfaction with pistols, he would kill him but then Mr. Dubuis confidently replied that whenever the officer like, he's quite ready. While in Strasbourg, the officer told that he'll get two officers to be his seconds. Mr. Dubuis puffing as hard the engine told the Englishmen to be his seconds and they both answered together "Oh, yes!" and the train stopped. In a minute, the Prussian had found two comrades, who brought pistols and made their way towards the ramparts while the Englishmen were continually looking at their watches, shuffling their feet and hurrying on with the preparations, uneasy lest they should be too late for the train. Mr. Dubuis had never fired a pistol in his life. They made him stand twenty paces away from his enemy. He was asked: "Are you ready?" While he was answering, he noticed that one of the Englishmen had opened his umbrella in order to keep off the rays of the sun. A voice gave the signal: "Fire!" After he fired at random without delay, he was amazed to see the Prussian opposite him stagger,lift his arms and fall forward, dead. As he killed the officer, one of the Englishmen was quivering with delight,satisfied curiosity and joyous impatience exclaimed: "Ah!" and the other who kept his watch on his hand grabbed Mr. Dubuis hand and hurried him in double-quick time toward the station, marking the time of his fellow-countryman as he ran beside them counting "One, two; one, two!" Three of them who was running abreast rapidly,made their way to the station like a grotesque figures in a comic newspaper. The train was on the point of starting as they sprang into their carriage. Taking off their travelling caps and waved them three times over their heads, exclaiming: "Hip! Hip! Hip! Hurrah! And gravely, one after the other, they extended their right hands to Mr. Dubuis and then went back and sat down in their corner.

          Anybody who thinks that he is more powerful than others by means of killings would not define that he is powerful enough because sometimes being wise is better than being brave.