Serpiente, La

Written during World War II, *The Serpent* is set in a nervously neutral Sweden on military alert. Dagerman--an Army recruit and anarcho-syndicalist--uses the daily grind of military service as a backdrop to explore social justice and the psychology of fear. The first part of the book concerns a young woman working at a military camp who finds herself drawn to a sadistic soldier. The second part recounts the harrowing experiences of Dagerman's alter ego, Scriber, and his fellow recruits. In the final chapter, Scriber articulates his vision for overcoming fear, culminating in an absurd and disastrous conclusion.