Amongst the hustle and bustle of everyday life, we often find ourselves tirelessly toiling away for a living. Carrying a handsome exterior but feeling worn-out within, we mirror Jacques Randel, the protagonist of Maupassant’s “A Vagabond.”
Once a tall, dashing figure, Randel’s journey from being determined to be useful to merely surviving as a wanderer hits close to home. His transformation reflects our real-life hustles – from being ambitious to just scraping by to have a meal, becoming wanderers in our own right.
1. Many People Tirelessly Strive for A Better Life
Born in Vire – Avranches, amidst an economic crisis, Randel found himself amidst many idle individuals. As the eldest in the family, strong and skilled in woodworking, he couldn’t bear the idleness and constantly sought job opportunities. Hearing about work prospects in the central region, he hastily set off with documents and a change of clothes, marching tirelessly day and night, through all weather conditions.
Full of hope and armed with woodworking skills, he thought he’d land a job he desired. However, after inquiries at every construction site turned fruitless, he didn’t wallow in despair but adapted to circumstances. Randel took up whatever work came his way—digging, muleteering, sawing, chopping wood, pruning trees, bundling firewood, digging wells, mixing mortar, or herding sheep on the mountains. Despite the meager earnings, he valued every job. Even at the cost of offering his labor at low prices to stingy employers and farmers. His days were either filled with job hunting or making the most of any chance he got, working tirelessly ingrained in his bones, relentless, and never slacking.
If we pause and observe the hurried passersby, aren’t they reflections of Randel from the story? Fathers racing against time to make ends meet for their child’s medical bills; single mothers sweating under the scorching sun moving goods to earn a paltry sum for a meal; countless individuals pulling all-nighters, turning their workplaces into homes just to afford a decent shelter for their families. At some point, life has turned us all into spinning tops, whirling endlessly. The bustle has become the norm, and leisure a luxury. Life teaches us the essence of hard work for a better living, acquainted well with the sweat and fatigue. A poignant phrase echoes, “No life is devoid of hardship; comfort is for the departed.” Whether it’s bustling stations or busy streets, a panoramic view only shows individuals hustling for a livelihood.
2. A Place to Call Home: The Elusive Search Amid Survival
Unemployment strikes Randel once again, and the little money earned dwindles away in a foreign land. He had no choice but to swallow his pride, going from house to house begging, subsisting on a piece of bread from the alms received. Despite being utterly exhausted and starving, he persevered, walking barefoot across meadows and fields. A hunger so intense as if a wolf was ready to pounce engulfed him, making his head spin, eyes red, lips parched and mouth dry. Standing at the edge of the road, he wished for a few potatoes from the fields, but reality turned wishes into luxury, and he ended up with a bit of raw beet from a plow furrow.
Stubborn in spirit, he continued seeking employment. Being rudely dismissed, treated with disrespect, or looked down upon, he bore it all. What saddened him more was having strong arms but no work, while his impoverished parents awaited him at home. But sadness can’t sustain life; to survive, he had to muster the remaining energy and move forward. Complaining about the unjust fate, looking at the rising smoke from distant homes, a mixture of emotions engulfed him. As the cold rain poured down, soaking through his thin clothes, he anxiously wondered where to seek refuge for the night.
A touching phrase comes to mind: A place called home doesn’t offer a means to support the family, and where a livelihood is found, a home cannot be made. Looking around, in this era of incessant human migration, leaving hometown for a distant land in search of a better life seems ordinary. But who understands the heart of a wanderer? Despite striving and progressing, you remain a stranger to the city, with no proof of belonging. Returning home after years, everything seems alien, and a hurried goodbye follows a short stay. Countless nights spent in contemplation, amidst thousands of households, where does one find their place? A stranger in a foreign land, and still a stranger back home – such is the reality of human existence, a fact faced and accepted by many.
3. Standing Alone, Dispelling Darkness with Our Own Hands
In life, when left alone, one ultimately has to dispel the darkness by oneself.
On a rainy night, feeling disheartened, Langdell found a cow. The milk became his precious dinner, while the warmth of the cow’s belly provided some long-missed comfort. Awakened by a rooster’s crow the next day, he bid farewell to the cow, rushing to continue his quest for a job. On the road, he saw a chubby farmer with a flock of sheep and approached him for any work opportunities, only to face rejection. He decided to change his approach, looking for a kind, compassionate face.
He picked a wealthy man dressed finely, with a gold chain, patiently explaining his situation, hoping for a breakthrough. However, the wealthy man was the local village chief, who not only treated him rudely but threatened to arrest him based on his vagabond appearance. Hungry and cold, Langdell angrily argued that getting arrested might be a good thing as at least he’d get food and shelter from rain. Later, he pleaded with the village chief at the town hall not to let him go hungry. Yet, the chief ignored his plight, chasing him out of the village. Feeling desperate, Langdell wandered on.
As he passed by a cottage with a half-open window, the aroma of stewed meat made him stop. Throwing caution to the wind, he leapt inside, devouring bread, stew, vegetables, and liquor hastily. Then, he fled into the woods, and in a field, he encountered a maid returning from milking the cows. With the liquor coursing through him, he grabbed her shoulder, and in a moment of despair, assaulted her.
Soon, news of Langdell’s actions spread across the village, and he was captured again. This time, the village chief gloated over him, joyously saying he expected Langdell to end up in jail. A realization dawned on Langdell: when down on luck, one can rely on nobody but oneself.
He once read a phrase: at some point, everyone yearns for help or a hand to pull them up, but eventually, one realizes only they can save themselves, and understand it’s them who can give themselves a hand. People flock around during good times but vanish during hardships. Despite spending ample time and energy nurturing connections, when in adversity, it’s hard to find support.
Rely on others, and they’ll run; rely on trees, and they’ll fall.
Instead of complaining, use the time to find a way forward; replace anger and grievances with self-improvement.
In the end, one finds, only they can be their savior when darkness descends.
Final Thoughts
In reality, aren’t we all wanderers in some form, tirelessly seeking a stable job to sustain our families? With backpacks, we traverse through hills and rivers, tirelessly working all year round.
When exhausted, a bench or a floor becomes our bed; when fruitless, a bun and a sip of water become a meal.
Through all this, the effort is ceaseless, yet fulfilling wishes can be elusive.
The story of Langdell teaches us a reality: when at a low point, we are alone, and self-reliance is the key.
As Lu Yin says, in an inflexible environment, there are two paths: one is to passively let fate dictate, the other is to actively create our destiny.
No one can save another; self-rescue is imperative.
May we hold the golden key to improving life in our hands, no matter the circumstances ahead.
