Madame Bovary Analysis Essay

It is not unusual for to interpret novels differently as people tend to view things from different angles. The onus then lies on the shoulders of the teacher to give a general perspective of a particular novel to these students in order to align their minds to the accepted school of thought. One of the novels that my students have read is René Chateaubriand. It therefore becomes pertinent for me to explain my plan for the lesson and the objective of the lesson. There are also certain questions that would be explored in the course of the lesson in order to make sure that my students grasp the essence of the novel. In bringing these points to bear in the heart of the students, there are certain passages that also need to be explained and analyzed and this shall also be elaborated in this paper.

I would divide my lessons into three sections. This is due to the fact that, there are actually three generally accepted readings of the novel as I expect my students to reason in these three dimensions. Being a teacher, I am quite aware of the three basic approaches of the reading of the novel and this would form the basis of my lesson plan. The first approach is the autobiographical approach; I would first ask my student, if they believe that it was actually Rene Chateaubriand that wrote the novel by himself. This would help me to know, if the student can really read between the lines. I am aware that, there are certain passages that would make my students to imagine that, the story is actually a literary reflection of Chateaubriand’s life and this is what this lesson plan would seek to achieve. At the end of this lesson plan, the student would be able to tell whether or not the novel is an autobiography or not.

The second section is to elaborate on whether or not, the novel is an allegory or not. There have been scholastic debate whether or not, the story is an allegory or not. I would first ask my students whether, they believe that the story is an allegory or not and I would also tell them to defend their arguments with logical reasons from the passage. In this section, I would show my students that the story is an allegory of Old and New France with certain symbols that were used in the novel. In this section, I would also be quick to show my students that the troubles that Rene faced in his violent birth that resulted in the death of his mother (Chateaubriand 169) is an allegory of the violent revolution of France, which also resulted in the birth or creation of a new France.

The last section is the pre-existentialism of the novel. I would show my students the reasons that Chateaubriand set the way for the existentialist movement that came after the novel. I would explain to the students that, the novel shows the search of man for their identity and the reason for their existence. I would also ask my students, if they believe that, the novel is a religious one and their response would set the stage for the next lessons to follow. I believe that, if these lessons are followed to the letter, they would help me in making the students to understand the novel better.
II “He could not keep from constantly touching her comb, her ring, her fichu; sometimes he gave her great sounding kisses with all his mouth on her cheeks, or else little kisses in a row all along her bare arm from the tip of her fingers up to her shoulder, and she put him away half-smiling, half-vexed, as you do a child who hangs about you.” (Flaubert 56). As a defense lawyer to Gustave Flaubert, I would try all that is within my power to defend him of writing a novel that has been termed as being immoral. I would start by stating that, the story is just a fiction story and as such, it does not in any way represent the true self of my client.

This honorable court should know that, my client is not an immoral person and he wrote the novel to show the moral decadence in our society. This honorable court should also know that, as long as the world is a free world and that, there is freedom of expression; my client should be free to express himself. I would also remind the court that, Gustave Flaubert is a realist writer and the story is just a reflection of his style of writing.

Rather than the plaintiff prosecuting my client for speaking the truth in his novel by exposing the ills of the society, the court should encourage the society that constitutes several families to inculcate good morals in their people. Distinguished men of the bar, I urge you to deal with the real thing, instead of using my client as a scapegoat.

This honorable court should also know that, the fact that my client does not comment on the case does not mean that he is guilty of the offences that has been leveled against him. It just means that my client is trying to let people know, that it is not an issue that he should be meditating over. If justice must be done in this court, the judges must see Mr. Gustave Flaubert as a writer rather than as a pervert. The fact that Flaubert does not comment directly on the moral character of Emma Bovary does not also mean that, he is trying to cover her high level of immorality. The court should also remember that, Emma Bovary was borne out of Flaubert’s imagination and for him to come out to boldly condemn her means that, he has condemned and destroyed the works of his hands. This does not necessarily mean that my client is glorifying adultery as believed in certain quarters; it just simply means that my client is trying to be careful in making remarks especially when it concerns the fictional story that was triggered by his imaginations.

My client used the novel to show the extent at which human needs are insatiable through the unquenchable sexual desires of Emma Bovary. I rest my case and plead that justice be truly done.

Works Cited
Chateaubriand, Francois-René. Atala, Rene, Les Aventures Du Dernier Abencerage. Ed.
Jean-Claude Berchet. Flammarion, 1996. Print
Flaubert, Gustave. Madame Bovary., 2011.