The picture shows two military officers, Rauffenstein, who is the German commanding officer of the prison camp, and Boeldieu, who is unofficially the leader and prisoner of a group of French soldiers. They're next to a window discussing their lives and what they mean and where they come from. The relationship between each other is significant because they both come from aristocratic backgrounds with a lifelong career in the military. Renoir uses this in their conversation to symbolize the similarities between them and their ability to connect on a level apart from the rest of the relationships throughout the prison, which makes it unique.
You can tell from Rauffenstein's actions (when he opens up so trustfully to Boeldieu) that he's troubled that Europe is rapidly changing, which alludes to how connected Rauffenstein is to the old world where class and order have a higher prevalence in their nation's politics. The plant/flower is a subsidiary contrast. It appears in the center of the image for the audience to see. This is one of Rauffenstein's prized possessions because it shows how difficult it is for him to change, and when Boeldieu says ""For a commoner, dying in a war is a tragedy. But for you and me, it's a good way out," Rauffenstein cuts the flower showing that he realizes that people like himself and Boeldieu are no longer needed in the anarchic world of emerging societies.
You can tell from Rauffenstein's actions (when he opens up so trustfully to Boeldieu) that he's troubled that Europe is rapidly changing, which alludes to how connected Rauffenstein is to the old world where class and order have a higher prevalence in their nation's politics. The plant/flower is a subsidiary contrast. It appears in the center of the image for the audience to see. This is one of Rauffenstein's prized possessions because it shows how difficult it is for him to change, and when Boeldieu says ""For a commoner, dying in a war is a tragedy. But for you and me, it's a good way out," Rauffenstein cuts the flower showing that he realizes that people like himself and Boeldieu are no longer needed in the anarchic world of emerging societies.
Good stuff, Sean. You could say a bit more about Boeldieu's differences from Rauffenstein, particularly in his sense of Europe's future. Why might it be easier for him to make the comment you quote above? What is the meaning of this comment and his act of sacrifice? I curious, too, about your comment about the gardenia signifying R's difficulty in changing. You could explain this a bit more as well.
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