"Hasek's episodic novel describes the adventures of a soldier who is drafted into the Czech army despite the fact that he has been certified as retarded. Svejk becomes a batman (a kind of servant) to Lieutenant Lukas. He constantly gets himself and the Lieutenant into trouble because he always follows instructions to the letter. When he is told to wait at a railroad station, he misses the troop train, and begins to try to find his regiment by walking in the wrong direction. He is arrested as a deserter, but is sent back to his regiment where he is promoted to orderly. Later when he is sent to find billeting for the troops, he tries on a Russian uniform he finds and is arrrested as a spy. He is threatened with hanging until an officer from his regiment recognizes him. Svejk's misadventures are meant to show the follies of the military. Hasek died before he was able to complete the book.
"
Jack Goodstein, Resident Scholar
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Review Analysis of The Good Soldier Svejk
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book?
- humorous
Time/era of story
- 1900-1920's
Internal struggle/realization?
Yes
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
War/Revolt/Disaster on civilians
Yes
Brain/Body disability?
- mental illness
Conflict:
- War, WW I
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- infantry soldier
Age:
- 20's-30's
Eccentric/Mental
Yes
Eccentric:
- a bit retarded
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Eastern European
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence
- Retarded
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- infantry soldier
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a little/some
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings?
- 2 (a little)
Europe
Yes
European country:
- Eastern Europe
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
Amount of dialog
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
