The Peasant War

During the war 14-18, the rural world has paid a considerable tribute of blood and suffering. The peasants, mostly privates and usually paid in the infantry weapons than their urban brethren, have really served as cannon fodder.
In 1931, appears when "The great flock," Jean Giono is already a recognized writer rural universe of Haute Provence, through the success of "Hill" or "Regain".
Veteran who served in Verdun and the Chemin des Dames, he discusses life at the front and in the country during the war. The structure of the novel is made of parallel narratives that overlap the two themes. This gives a unique side to this novel whose form and content are proving exciting.

But beginning with lallégorie herds demblée gives an impressionist dimension that sometimes turns to fog.
Lévocation the status of women, left alone at the back with the old and children, is perhaps the most interesting point of this book. But, in my opinion, this rural dimension is treated with too heavy lyricism.
The warrior dimension is addressed in contrast with a lack of power that does not take the shock at the literature trenches dun dun or Dorgelès Chevallier. Even the pacifist creed of this novel shortness of breath and verve.
In short this reading my overall disappointed.
"The Great Herd" probably seduce fans of Giono.
But lovers of literature on 14-18 may go their way, as it comes to my work dune secondary sense in which Giono has not been able to put forward his past fighter.