The Ogre day 3

Goering uses animals to feel powerful and in control. The aurochs were genetically bred and then allowed to run in the woods (p. 201). Goering brings home a lion, which is treated like a plaything. He seeks entertainment from Abel's story of his encounter with the aurochs (p. 202-203) and sharing his dinner and teasing the lion (p. 206).

The hunts, to me, are disturbing. The big hare shoot (p. 228) is an organized slaughter with no purpose except to kill. On pages 209-210, a horrible slaughter is described, which Goering enjoyed because he was unable to shoot the largest stag.

The animals are the innocents of the war in the woods. They are teased or killed not for a challenging sport but for being available victims of corrupt power. The animals are described as beautiful creatures, while Goering is described as a gross figure: fat, selfish, shallow, and moronic.

Abel finds himself comfortable around the children, but also with routine and structure. The school at the castle Kalteborn gives Abel clear guidelines for all aspects of daily life, even how to salute, and to whom to salute.

The school is a reflection of Germany under Hitler. Abel shows insight into the frightening world, which he captures in his diary on pages 253-254 when he went to Johannisburg and saw a military parade in the Adolf-Hitlerstrasse ("Adolf Hitler Street):

"This part of the crowd is in an advanced state of the metamorphosis that makes several million Germans into one great irresistable sleepwalker, the Wehrmacht." (p. 253)

To me this refers to the genetic efforts to "cleanse" the German people. The sleepwalking people represent the fact they have all been brainwashed.

In the same way Abel describes the crowd at Johannisburg, the rituals at the Napola also brainwash the boys and drive out any individual thinking or free will.

"All this ritual ritual enchantment secretly works on their nervous systems and parralyzes their wills. A mortal pleasure grips their innards, brings tears to their eyes, and freezes them in an exquisite and poisonous fascination called patriotism. Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Fuehrer." (p. 254)