“Roger Malvin’s Burial” is a tragic narrative portraying a wounded war hero, Reuben
Bourne, who is confronted by a complicated dilemma. The plight, which derives from how to
deal with his fellowman, chiefly Roger Malvin, brings about Reuben’s downfall, manifested
through an acute feeling of guilt for failing Malvin. Under the spell of an evil fate, he proves
unable to do something to reverse the situation, and only gets more and more entangled in his
plight. In examining the matter, it turns out that the dilemma afflicting him is rooted in human
vulnerability, symbolized by the wounded status of the key characters. As part of the dynamics
inherent in this vulnerability which is set on transcending its own limit, the story does not end in
a complete annihilation of the hero, as one might think, but goes further to climax in an apparent
tragedy, which is for the hero the price to pay to get out of the spell of evil fate.

dilemma, serment, malédiction, sépulture, libération