The Frontier

"The Frontier" by Maurice Leblanc is a story that follows Morestal, a dedicated farmer, and mayor, whose life is deeply tied to the growing conflict between France and Germany before a war. Set along the troubled French-German border, the story explores loyalty, national identity, and how war affects people through Morestal, his son Philippe, and other people living nearby. The story begins with a feeling of tension as Morestal and his wife talk about the problems on the frontier, especially the repeated damage to a boundary post, representing deeper issues of national honor and personal conflict from past wars. Morestal's strong love for France and worry about a possible new war with Germany is shown. When their son Philippe, a professor with different opinions, comes home, a conflict of ideas starts within the family, representing the bigger struggle between old patriotic feelings and newer, more modern views. As Philippe comes home with his wife Marthe, personal stories mix with the happenings in the country, foreshadowing dramatic problems both inside the family and across the border.