Gym Period by Rainer Maria Rilke is an excellent example of the dark inhumanity embedded within students of military academies and how they are driven to strive for their best. Rilke, who has experience being a military student himself, skillfully engages the readers with this inscrutable short story as it revolves around a young boy attempting to climb a pole and the consequences that follow after. With the use of strong imagery, profound messages and themes, and clear, effective depiction of characters, Rilke successfully displays the regimented lives of students in a military academy.
Beginning with the tense mood and dark, gloomy setting of the gym, the strong imagery and diction applied in this short story creates a sorrowful scene for Karl Gruber and causes the readers to envision, with a feeling of anxiety, what the protagonist must have to deal with. The students in the gymnasium are uniformly “in their white cotton shirts” and “stand in two rows”, this opening image indicates that everyone has to follow a strict method when in practice and that they must be in uniform, as if to signify that they are all one and not individuals. Gruber is positioned “in the dimly lit corner of the gymnasium”, with his peers surrounding him and watching him with fascination as he fights to climb the pole. This setting generates an eerie sense of curiosity and suggests that the story too, is dark and thrilling. Along with the compelling imagery, Gruber’s emotions and thoughts are represented to some extent through vivid and evocative description and detailing. As Gruber progresses upwards, he seems to exhibit some sort of “peculiar pleasure” when he looks down at the sergeant which signifies that he is fully aware of what he is doing and why he is doing it- he wishes to establish that he can outdo himself. However, later it can be seen that his strengths are put to test the farther up he goes and that he starts to struggle, “his movements grow slower; and as though he were relishing every fresh hold”. The use of the word “relishing” expresses that Gruber is indeed performing a difficult task and requires some rest, but he is aware that he will not get any and he just has to continue upward, which again highlights the strictness of the academy.
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The traits of the characters and how they are conveyed in relation to the prominent messages in this story greatly impact and enhance the feeling of sympathy and possibly even frustration among the readers. The portrayal of Gruber, as an ambitious and persistent boy, against his peers, who ridicule him in return, is to deliver the message of inhumanity and the indoctrinated mindsets of the military students. The officers too, are seen using curt and bold statements that show no concern for the mental well-being of the students. After Gruber’s tiring climb, he makes his way over to his locker where he takes a few deep breaths and begins to say something again, “But already he is unobserved” by everyone around him, which shows the readers how the characters display no real concern for him and do not care to give him even slight comfort. The only person that spots him and shows any sort of worry is Jerome, who seems to be his only friend. Jerome can recognize that Gruber must have been injured in some way or might feel exhausted after his great physical exertion and cares to find out whether he is alright, while the rest of the class has gone back to doing whatever task they were told to do earlier. When it is declared that Gruber has died due to a heart attack, neither his companions nor the officers seem to be saddened for the loss of a cadet, they only seem to show respect for the sake of their methods with the lieutenant demanding for them to march as he enters the room “as though he were on parade.”
The author writes this story in such a way that the readers can feel and empathise with the protagonist and be able to comprehend what his thoughts would be like. There are several possible interpretations for the messages presented throughout the story. The reason behind Gruber climbing the unendurable pole, when he is usually someone “who had hardly ever been able to climb even the first third of the way”, could be a desperate attempt to finally prove what he is capable of. That thought could be the result of constant pressure from either the officers at the academy, or just their regimented way of performing, which he was never before triumphant in. While Gruber lingers on the pole, one of the sergeants threatens him to either come back down or climb all the way up, if not he would “report him to the lieutenant”. Moreover, when Gruber is rushed away after he faints, the sergeant snaps, “He’s faking, lieutenant, he’s faking.”, proving that the officers in the military school are strict and would rather not show compassion towards their cadets. The same inhumanity is also evident in the other characters involved as nobody, except Jerome, displays any sort of concern for their peer who just fought trying to ascend the pole. Instead, they mock him with contempt without taking notice of his restlessness after withdrawing back down. Through these acts, the author effectively demonstrates and conveys the meaning that military schools lack compassion. Plus, the treatment of Gruber by the sergeant confirms that he is forced to better himself and stay strong through everything, even when it is not possible.
Gym Period is an impressive and gripping short story that provides insight into military culture from the 1800s. By putting to use stylistic devices such as imagery and diction combined with powerful characterization, Rilke presents the minds of military students and delivers a great message of the mercilessness of their nature.
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