In “My First Goose,” a young soldier named Liutov sees the brutality of war firsthand. As an intellectual, he is out of his element among his fellow soldiers, serving in the Galician war. The soldiers jest him for his intellect and sensitivity. Liutov, in an attempt to gain acceptance from his fellow soldiers, kills a goose at the home of a peasant woman. The death of the goose symbolizes the death of innocence during war.
At the beginning of the story, Liutov’s commander dictates a letter ordering troops to advance on the enemy. The letter instructs them to “make contact with the enemy and destroy the same.” After writing the extremely violent orders, the commander signs the orders and tosses them to his orderly (19-20). The casual nature at which the commander treats orders to kill others illustrates the effects of prolonged battle. The commander seems to have no feeling about telling others to kill.
Babel’s protagonist Liutov, a college-educated young man, quickly realizes that he is out of his element. Others constantly remind him of that. As the quartermaster leads him to his room, he tells Liutov that war is “not a life for the brainy type” (20). The people he encounters at the camp assume that he does not have the stomach to handle the brutality of war. In their point of view, an educated, bookish person does not belong fighting in war. The attitudes of his fellow soldiers cause Liutov to do something extreme to gain acceptance.
Toward the end of “My First Goose,” the soldiers encounter an old woman. They are hungry and order her to kill a pathetic-looking goose to feed them. She refuses to kill the goose, so Liutov slaughters the goose with his sword. The woman is so disgusted by the unnecessary action that she says she wants to kill herself (21). The killing of the goose serves as a symbolic initiation into accepting the brutality of war. The goose represents innocent lives lost on the battlefield. Once he kills the goose, he and the other soldiers eat it.
As the soldiers eat the goose, Liutov feels that he has finally gained their trust and acceptance. At night, they gain comfort from one another. Liutov has mixed feelings about his actions earlier that day. He says his “dreams saw women. But my heart, stained with bloodshed, grated and brimmed over” (22). These words prove that he is conflicted with his actions. He sees women in his dreams, but he also knows he can’t get rid of his acceptance of bloodshed associated with war.
Isaac Babel’s “My First Goose,” partially autobiographical, illustrates the brutal nature of war. The goose serves as a symbol for all the innocent victims of war and the loss of innocence by those who have to serve in them.
Source:
Babel, Isaac. “My First Goose.” The Norton Anthology of Short Fiction. 4th edition. 1990.
