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Rachel de Champlain
Captain Beck is a Nazi soldier who is assigned to stay in Vianne’s home. Although he is polite, Vianne doesn’t know whether to trust him. Eventually, Vianne realizes that he is a good man who is simply on the wrong side of the war. He does not approve of the actions of his superiors and is doing his best to get through the war. Vianne kills him because he is about to discover a fighter pilot Isabelle has hidden in her barn. In the aftermath of his death, she struggles to come to terms with her role in his death.
Captain Beck Quotes in The Nightingale
The The Nightingale quotes below are all either spoken by Captain Beck or refer to Captain Beck. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 8 Quotes
She had no idea how to respond to this stranger who dressed like the enemy and looked like a young man she might have met at church. And what was the price for saying the wrong thing?
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Vianne observes Captain Beck, the Nazi officer assigned to stay in Vianne’s home, when he first enters her house. What strikes Vianne most about Beck is how ordinary he seems. Beck is one of the most ambiguous characters in the novel because he is the most ambiguous. On the one hand, he is a Nazi who regularly carries out the sadistic and antisemitic orders his higher-ups give him. However, on the other hand, he is a kind family man who just wants to get home to his wife and child; in this regard, he’s not all that different from Vianne’s Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a d
Chapter 10 Quotes
“There are some things a man does around the house. You are much too fragile to chop wood.”
“I can do it.”
“Of course you can, but why should you? Go Madame. See to your daughter. I can do this small thing for you. Otherwise my mother will beat me with a switch.”
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This quotation is a conversation between Beck and Vianne. Beck spots Vianne chopping wood outside and insists that he take over because it is a man’s job. Vianne hesitates but ultimately does as Beck asks. Beck is genuinely trying to be helpful, but Vianne does not trust him. She does not want to owe him anything, and she feels uncomfortable with the idea of Beck doing the chores “a man does around the house,” symbolically filling Antoine’s role. Vianne’s discomfort with this relationship is why she pushes back and tries to do the work herself despite Beck’s offer to help. Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissim
Chapter 11 Quotes
She was certain suddenly that she shouldn’t have done this. But what choice did she have? He was in control of her home. What would happen if she defied him? Slowly, feeling sick to her stomach, she wrote the last name on the list.
Rachel de Champlain.
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Beck has just asked Vianne to create a list of all the Jewish people who work at her school. Vianne does as Beck asks because he promises to send a care package to Antoine, whom the Nazis are holding in a prisoner-of-war camp. Writing the list is the first tough decision Vianne makes in the novel. On the one hand, the information she gives Beck is readily available in many other places. However, on the other hand, physically writing the list of names, especially Rachel’s name—Rachel is Vianne’s best friend—feels like a betrayal. This quote exposes the power dynamic in Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa.
Chapter 14 Quotes
How can I possibly go without remembering all of it—the terrible things I have done, the secret I kept, the man I killed . . . and the one I should have?
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This quote is from Chapter Fourteen, one of the few chapters that takes place in 1995. Vianne’s mention of “the terrible things” she did during the war alludes to Beck’s death and Von Richter’s abuse, though readers have yet to learn about these events. However, on a first read, Vianne’s words are cryptic for a number of reasons. First, at this point, readers don’t yet know that Vianne is the unnamed narrator. Additionally, readers don’t yet know about Beck’s death or Vianne’s role in it; though the death happened during the war, readers don’t learn of it until Chapter Twenty-Five. Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dic
Chapter 25 Quotes
“Forgive my manners, Madame. But we have shown you all our best behaviors, and this is what we get from many of you French. Lies and betrayal and sabotage.”
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This quote comes from a conversation between Vianne and Captain Beck after the RAF Pilot goes missing under Beck’s command. Beck is frustrated because he cannot find the pilot, whose disappearance he attributes to the French people’s “betrayal and sabotage.” This quote is important for Beck’s character because it reveals how differently he and Vianne see the world. Although Beck may be courteous, his compatriots surely are not, and it is laughable to suggest otherwise. The Nazis stole food and supplies from the French, murdered those who rebelled and persecuted every Jewish person in the country. Perhaps Beck’s assertion is Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptate
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Captain Beck Character Timeline in The Nightingale
The timeline below shows where the character Captain Beck appears in The Nightingale. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 8
...her door. When Vianne opens the door, the German introduces himself; his name is Captain Beck, and he plans to billet in Vianne’s home. Although Vianne is reluctant to let Captain...
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Vianne takes Captain Beck inside and shows him to his bedroom. Captain Beck thanks Vianne and once again promises...
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Captain Beck forgives Isabelle but warns Vianne that such behavior will not be tolerated in the future....
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Chapter 9
Vianne goes to the kitchen to make dinner and encounters Beck there. Beck tells Vianne about his family back home in Germany. His wife is pregnant,...
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Before dinner begins, Isabelle comes into the room and starts grilling Beck about the bombing she witnessed in Tours. She wants to know if Beck played any...
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Isabelle acknowledges Vianne’s warning but does little to change her behavior. She does offer Beck a seat at the dinner table, but she is rude throughout the meal and leaves...
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Following dinner, Vianne goes outside to get some air. Surprisingly, she finds Beck there; he tells her that he likes to stand underneath the night sky and look...
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In the middle of Vianne and Beck’s conversation, Isabelle comes out and sees the two of them together. Isabelle makes a not-so-subtle...
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Realizing that she will have to learn to live with Vianne, Sophie, and Beck, Isabelle does her best to do as her older sister says. Each day, Isabelle goes...
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Chapter 10
...Vianne goes outside with the intention of chopping wood. However, before she can get far, Beck comes out and offers to take over the task. Vianne tells him that he doesn’t...
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Rachel arrives the Mauriac’s residence to accompany Vianne and Sophie to school. Before they depart, Beck spots them, and Vianne introduces him to Rachel. On their way to school, Rachel comments...
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...she goes to the cellar to put away the produce. Before she can go downstairs, Beck insists on carrying her basket for her. This makes Isabelle visibly nervous; she knows what...
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Chapter 11
...about how much Carriveau has changed for the worse. While in town, they run into Beck, who tells Vianne that he won’t be around for dinner. Vianne feels the eyes of...
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...Vianne calls a meeting in her classroom with the other wives whose husbands are on Beck’s list. She informs them that their husbands will not be coming home and then hands...
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...do not take kindly to Vianne’s actions. They think she has purposely cozied up to Beck to get favors. Rachel defends Vianne from these charges and tells the women that they...
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After the meeting, Vianne heads home and finds Beck there. She gives Beck the postcards and asks if he will mail them for her....
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...anyway. When she finishes writing down all of the names, she hands the list to Beck. Beck inspects the list and then tells her that she forgot a name: Rachel’s. Rachel...
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Chapter 12
...the Germans are using up all the food. Just as those words leave her mouth, Beck walks into the room. Not wanting to cause problems, Vianne chastises Sophie for speaking in...
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...lessons, some German soldiers appear and fire everyone on the list that Vianne made for Beck. This sudden change of events deeply disturbs Vianne, and she feels guilty for what she’s...
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Beck’s office is elaborate. It is replete with Nazi imagery, and Vianne spots piles of food...
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When Vianne leaves Beck’s office, she notices German soldiers looking at her. She doesn’t put too much thought into...
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...have been kept from the Nazis anyway. However, she advises Vianne to be careful around Beck; no matter how kind and handsome he is, he is not to be trusted.
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Chapter 13
As Vianne thinks about what to do with Isabelle, Beck shows up with a group of German soldiers. Together, they begin destroying the stone wall...
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In the middle of her conversation with Beck, Isabelle informs him that she wants to go to Paris to live with Julien Rossignol....
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Chapter 15
...and Isabelle is on her way to Paris. Vianne, meanwhile, is alone with Sophie and Beck. One day, Beck brings Vianne a fish he caught and presents it to her as...
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When Vianne finishes cooking, she brings the fish to the table and sees that Beck is sitting in the same chair that Antoine always used. When Beck sees that the...
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Chapter 16
Inside, Vianne sees Beck reading in the living room. When Beck spots Vianne, he immediately notices that she is...
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Luckily, Beck has some good news for Vianne. He has gotten his hands on a letter from...
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Chapter 17
...to help her, and she would only be making his situation worse. Not long after, Beck arrives at the house and informs Vianne that he will be away for a few...
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Beck sees that Vianne is upset and asks her what is wrong. Vianne explains that she...
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Chapter 20
...almost run out of food, and there is no wood left to burn for warmth. Beck has been away, so Vianne has no guarantee that she will have resources to take...
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...illness overtakes her, and she falls to the ground outside of her home. Moments later, Beck arrives and takes Vianne into the house. Then, he orders Sophie to fetch Rachel. Beck...
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Chapter 21
...have medicine to help Sophie and doesn’t know where to get any. Sophie’s cries draw Beck’s attention. He comes into Sophie’s room and gives Vianne a bottle of antibiotics to help...
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Chapter 22
...give to Rachel and Sarah. While Vianne is dropping off the food at Rachel’s house, Beck shows up with a warning. He tells Vianne and Rachel that Rachel should make sure...
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...Sophie a sedative to ensure that she stays asleep. When Vianne goes downstairs, she finds Beck staring at a picture of his family. Clearly, there is a lot on his mind,...
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Chapter 23
...world that is so cruel and violent. Vianne returns to her home, where she finds Beck, who has waited up for her. Beck seems worried, though he is happy to see...
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...train station where she is to be sent away. At the train station, Vianne spots Beck clutching a whip. The sight disgusts her. Rachel asks Vianne to take Ari so that...
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...her dress and ties it to a tree branch in honor of Rachel. Soon after, Beck shows up, and Vianne treats him callously. Beck tells Vianne that the war has put...
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Chapter 24
...up to a Nazi officer. Even worse, rumors are swirling around town that Vianne and Beck have started a romance.
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...take him outside of the house when he has no papers. As Vianne makes dinner, Beck comes home and gives her a gift: a fake birth certificate for Ari with the...
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Chapter 25
The next day, Beck talks to Vianne about the American plane that the Germans shot down. He is irritated...
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...for everyone involved if the pilot was found on her property. She even considers telling Beck the truth. Hours later, Beck returns, more frustrated than ever. He still hasn’t found the...
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It doesn’t take Beck long to realize that Vianne is agitated about something. Suddenly, he becomes suspicious and begins...
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Vianne is distraught over killing Beck. Despite everything, she thinks Beck was a good man, and she is angry with Isabelle...
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...coffin. Henri promises to get rid of both bodies, but even so the problem of Beck’s disappearance remains. Vianne decides that it is best to stay put and pretend that she...
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...their plan, Isabelle falls to the ground. Although she did not realize it until now, Beck apparently shot her at the same time that she shot him. Vianne tends to the...
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Chapter 27
Back in Carriveau, Vianne contemplates Beck’s death. She now knows what it feels like to take a man’s life, and it...
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...She opens it to find two Nazi soldiers who have come to question her about Beck. Vianne tells them that she has not seen Beck lately and simply assumed that he...
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...Von Richter informs Vianne that he will be coming to live with her now that Beck is gone.
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...Sophie about Von Richter. Vianne warns Sophie that Von Richter is not as kind as Beck and that she must stay clear of him as much as possible. Additionally, she warns...
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Chapter 28
...also talks to Gaëtan about how hard it must have been for Vianne to kill Beck.
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Meanwhile, Beck and Isabelle haunt Vianne’s dreams. She feels guilty over her relationships with both parties and,...
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Chapter 29
...calls Daniel) is one of Antoine’s cousins who she adopted. She also gets asked about Beck, but she doesn’t give up any information. She simply says that he disappeared.
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Chapter 38
...takes Isabelle home and cares for her. Isabelle apologizes for the events that led to Beck’s death, and Vianne apologizes for the many times she thinks she has failed Isabelle. Both...
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