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Exposition
Protagonist Erik Brandt, a sixteen year old boy who is half Russian and half German who has finished training, and has been drafted to Hitler's offensive on the eastern front during world war II. In order, to take Russian territory. He makes a good friend on a troop train, named Jakob. Then, he goes to a empty warehouse full of prisoners. There he makes another friend named Hals. -
Rising Action
Erik goes to a bunker and translates for Russian prisoners of war. Then, the bunker is attacked and he must go to battle. There Hals died by being shot from a Russian. -
Rising Action
Erik is sent to the frontlines with a new friend named Oskar. Oskar is shot and Germans lost the battle. Erik is injured he sees Russian troops closing in he takes a dead Russian soldier's uniform and disguises himself as a Russian and joins sides with Russia. He is then shot by a Nazi. -
Rising Action
Erik wakes up in a hospital. He meets a girl who works in the hospital named Tamara. He also meets a friend named Nikolai. Nikolai gets a disease which causes his legs to be amputated. Erik also makes a friendship with a man named Sergo who guards the hospital. -
Rising Action
The hospital is raided by Germans and Tamara, Sergo, and Erik decide to leave and to go to America. They go through many forests and went though one skirmish that killed Sergo. -
Climax
Tamara and Erik go near an American base without knowing. Next, Erik is shot in the cheeks and in the left arm. -
Falling Action
Erik is at an American controlled hospital.Tamara is alive. Erik had his arm amputated and he has a mask on his face. Erik's personality is changed. One example of indirect characterization, is it is changed because once when Tamara visited him he screamed "Get out" (p.220 Soldier X, Don Wulffson). He became more easily aggravated. I can tell because when people unexpectedly scream for no apparent reason they are easily aggravated. -
Falling Action
Erik received a letter from his mom from Germany. Tamara told the nurses about Erik's family, since he confessed about his true identity back at the Russian hospital. Erik was glad to receive his letter because the book states "I was crying and smiling at the same time"(p.222 Soldier X, Don Wulffson). I interpret this as him being happy because he was smiling and creating tears of joy. When someone performs this he or she is usually glad. -
Direct Characterization for falling action
One example of direct characterization is when Erik was in the hospital he was envious of a soldier's death. The text states "An American soldier int the bed next to mine died that day. Envy- that's all I felt"(p.221 Soldier X Don Wulffson). -
Direct Characterization
Another example of direct characterization is when Erik was receiving many notes from Tamara. Erik was feeling emptiness. The text states "I began receiving notes from Tamara. Desolation, emptiness-that is what they caused me to feel."(p.221 Soldier X Don Wulffson) -
Resolution
On Erik's 18th birthday, Erik and Tamara became married. Erik's face suffered much scarring and he now has an artificial arm. Erik and Tamara then moved to America and Erik became a history teacher. They have three children.
