Captain Daredevil is a character who has been pleasing the younger generation for over a century with his courage, ingenuity and leadership qualities. The millionaire who became rich during the gold rush, Jean Grandeur left his home and went to faraway Africa to liberate this land from the British conquerors.
Legendary captain
The famous author of adventure books, the French writer Louis Boussinard, introduced us to this wonderful hero. Captain Daredevil is a legendary, almost fabulous character. It is hard to imagine that he has a real prototype. A millionaire who became rich at the age of fifteen. The legendary commander of a scout squad. Talented commander and fiery leader. All these hypostases unite in Jean Grandier.
Being an active participant in the Franco-Prussian war, the physician Louis Boussenard knew well the specifics of hard life and fierce battles. The author skillfully reproduces battles, campaigns and life in the rear on the pages of his books. And although more than a century has passed since the events described, the courage, exploits and sense of justice of the heroes still excite readers.
Verge of courage
This is an excellent book, and today it is advisable for almost every student to know its summary. Captain Daredevil - a wonderful image, contributing to the education of young men. The writer pays much attention to the creation of the multi-faceted personality of Jean Grande. First, we get acquainted with the legendary captain in his combat incarnation. In the first chapter of the novel, he takes his small detachment out of the fire of the British. The author emphasizes the courage of the hero and his ability to make innovative decisions in a difficult situation. The captain hides the squad in the thickets and makes him move crawling.
Already in the next chapter, Boussenard reveals the other side of Grandeur's personality, plunging readers into events that happened much earlier than the battles of the Boer War. We learn the story of Jean, who found his wealth in the icy hell of a polar mine. In the gold deposits of Klondike, the hero understands that now his main life incentive will be the search for adventure. From a modern point of view, this position can be called adrenaline addiction. But is it necessary to do this? After all, we have before us a classic upbringing novel.
Cunning and Administrative Talent
Consider the features of the work of Bussenard and its summary. Captain Daredevil is the hero of a historical adventure novel. In it, the writer reliably conveyed many details of the work of the colonial authorities. For example, in the second chapter, the author with humor talks about how young Grandier transported several boxes of weapons to the rebellious Pretoria, giving a bribe to a petty official.
Boussinard devotes much attention to Jean's organizational talent. He put together his squad, which was about a hundred people, in a few months. This group was international, it included Boers, French, Germans, Italians, Spaniards and Arabs. All of them fought fiercely, but strictly obeyed orders. Friction within the team was not observed, although they communicated through an interpreter. Jean was a talented leader. The soldiers more than once showed him their unconditional devotion.
Vicissitudes of war
The most difficult part in analyzing a book is to retell its summary. Captain Daredevil is a very unusual character. He is a volunteer, and everyone who goes into battle on their own, dreams of exploits. And then Boussenard reveals the secret of all commanders. In war, battles are rare. The everyday life of soldiers is hiking, marching throws, sieges of cities and patrolling. When the volunteers realized this, they were overwhelmed by terrible disappointment. So it was with the detachment of Jean Grandier. However, they did not miss their lucky chance.
In an unexpected attack by the British, the detachment was saved only thanks to the inventiveness of the commander. After that, Jean was appointed by the Boer general as head of intelligence. Under tragic circumstances, Grandier met the farmer David Potter, who saved the young Frenchman's life. A patriot of his homeland and an implacable fighter for independence, the drill was shot by the British in front of his family. Jean Grandier vowed revenge on the killers.
How did the British and the Boers fight?
This storyline defines the composition of the novel and its summary. Captain Daredevil - master of intelligence. He always supplied the Boer commanders with the most reliable information. The English army was much more modest forces of the locals. Therefore, the Boers had to use non-standard military techniques.
Bussenar describes in detail the battle between the forces of General George White and the rebels. The English army fought according to all the laws of tactics, and the Boers had to invent new methods of fighting literally under enemy fire. The author pays much attention to the description of the positions of the rebel troops, clearly admiring their thoughtfulness and secrecy. The first line of defense of the Boers was broken. And when the English, intoxicated by easy success, went further, their horses became entangled in a wire stretched across the field. Imperial forces were defeated in this battle. The Boers won, but suffered heavy losses.
Some features of military medicine
The author of the novel is a doctor Louis Boussinard. "Captain Daredevil", a summary of which we are now considering - a chain of adventures of the protagonist. However, the author pays much attention to the medical aspects of the war. The prototype of the Boer surgeon Dr. Tromp is Louis Bussenard himself. This talkative doctor often tells his listeners and readers of the novel about the specifics of field medicine. The author expertly describes the process of sterilization of surgical instruments, the extraction of a bullet stuck in a person, and the effect of various types of weapons on the nature of the wound.
Mercy and nobility
One can only admire the writer's philanthropy, adhering to humane views even in war conditions. Through the mouth of Dr. Tromp, Bussenar says that it is better to disable the enemy than to kill. He calls for the creation of high-tech weapons that can inflict minimal damage. The master of the word warmly reveals the tactics of scorched earth and the extermination of civilians. The author describes the friendship between Jean Grandeur and the young English lieutenant, who is the son of the sworn enemy of the young Frenchman, very touching.
Rebel Army and its weaknesses
Louis Bussenard discusses battles and maneuvers, reconnaissance and tactics expertly. "Captain Daredevil", a brief summary of which constantly revolves around the outstanding personality of the protagonist, tells of the courage and savvy of the Boer rebels. The author also notes the shortcomings of the organization of their army. The rebel troops are not trained, there is practically no discipline in them, orders are poorly executed, and boring activities such as patrolling and patrolling are generally ignored. The writer emphasizes the peculiar organization of the rebel army, somewhat reminiscent of a family. From here both positive and negative traits of the Boer detachments follow. For example, a young Paul Potter, obsessed with revenge, shoots the assassin of his father, the Duke of Richmond. However, he does not think at all that the British, in retaliation, were subjected to torture of captured Boers. Family ties come to the fore.
According to Bussenar, captain Daredevil was a noble and decent young man. The young Frenchman, like the Boers, politely treated captured enemies, even the worst enemies. But when Grandier himself was captured by the British, he found himself in completely different conditions. Imperial soldiers mocked the captives, not recognizing their human dignity. This further strengthened the belief that Jean is fighting for a just cause.
Parenting novel
In the book "Captain Daredevil" the main characters are very young, almost boys. They go through a difficult life path. Tragic circumstances allow them to gain strength in their souls and gain their own view of the world. All this makes Boussenard's work a typical parenting novel. The adventures of Jean Grandier are simply unimaginable. He not only dresses in a woman’s dress to escape from persecution, but also spends some time in this guise, working as a servant in the house of a lonely old lady. In such a suit, the young Frenchman returns to his scout team again.
How often does the desire to convey the whole tragic depth of events translate into a boring and short retelling? Captain Daredevil is one of the most striking examples of courage and ingenuity manifested in difficult life circumstances. It serves as a role model. The younger generation at all times will find in Jean Grandeur a virtual interlocutor and friend. His image was transferred to the movie screen. The young Frenchman became the embodiment of youth, audacity and justice.
The writer Valery Medvedev (Captain Daredevil) interprets the personality of the young hero in an original way. The summary of small stories often comes down to this character - Dima Kolchanov, who, like Jean Grandeur, goes his way of growing up.