Boule De Suif by Guy De Maupassant

I say, the ways of Guy De Maupassant are wonderful! The way he writes short stories is akin to the way Emily Dickinson writes poems! Both have an incomparable style and presence. And long after you have read or recited their work, they come back to haunt you like Kenny G or Yanni tunes. 

My first encounter with Maupassant's work was via a story telling English class. After a regular bout of unit tests, our English teacher decided to have a light session, diccusing our favourite stories. My friend, narrated, 'The Necklace', by Maupassant. I loved the story instantly, but to my dismay, he didnt know the author.Years later I picked Maupassant, because, mental voracious reader friend, K, used to roam around in college with a thick book of short stories by Maupassant(how jealous I was of that!!). When I reread 'The Necklace', the English class came rushing back to me. 

And then I read 'Boule De Suif'.When Maupassant wrote this story he was an instant success. When you read 'Boule De Suif', you will applaud the generality of the story and the perfection of the narration . One of the toughest things to do is to write a short story. A novel, can have twists and turns, and by the time you write the climax, you can pretty much fit everything into place. A short story needs to end at the right moment. And I personally believe that you can either write a short story, or you cant. 'Boule De Suif' is a story set in the background of the Franco-Prussian war, during which Maupassant worked in the military supply corps and this formed the setting for many of his stories later on. The story begins with ten travellers fleeing the town of Rouen(occupied by the Prussians)  to Le Havre. The travellers include Boule De Suif(roughly translated as a large lady), a prostitute, and nine other members --the strict Cornudet; a shop-owning couple , M. and Mme. Loiseau; a wealthy upper-bourgeoisie factory-owner and his wife, M. and Mme. Carré-Lamadon; the Count and Comtesse of Bréville; and two  nuns. The remaining members of the carriage are characterised in such a way that they represent nobility, middle class ,lower middle class and people of God. Due to Boule De Suif's reputation, she is ignored and talked about through a large part of the journey, but sees their colorful side, when she presents a picnic basket full of food to the others. The members become more talkative and comfortable around her presence. On the way, to Le Havre, the carriage stops at the Totes village and the travllers decide to rest at the local inn. They realise that they have stepped onto Prussian territory and will be allowed to leave, if Boule De Suif sleeps with the officer. At first, the passengers are furious at the arrogant request and support the prostitute. But later on they use logic, religion and melodrama to convince her to give up her dignity for the sake of their lives. She gives in to their pressure and the travellers resume their journey. For the remaining journey the travellers shun her and refuse to share their food with her, the way she did with them.

In many ways, the story is a mirror of so many of the real world aspects today. How we meet people who shift gears, once their work with us is over. What is interesting here is that Maupassant, doesnt feel the need to please the reader or give a rosy ending. In fact he is also known to have written some very very depressing stories in his time. He however, has a keen eye for human behaviour. The plight of hard workers in the face of revolutions, how the lower echelons of society remain oblivious to the roles of nobility( the current financial crisis?) in making decisions. Its amazing to see that human behaviour transcends generations. Surprisingly the degree of behaviour also remains the same, irrespective of your levels of education and upbringing. 

Its Maupassant's human observations that hold 'Boule De Suif' together, and as you read story you realise that there are so many reflections of the story in modern society.So while the passengers may have convinced Boule De Suif to give up her dignity(another debatable term!) for the safety of the other nine, the bone of contention is the hypocrisy on display and the way the entire gamut of society , represented by the characters, displays similar degrees of that vice. There is that extra question of whether a prostitute's dignity is worth measuring or if a prostitute has a right to refuse anyone. Then there is a shade of propaganda and how it can be moulded to suit a situation. How the human mind can be made to believe that giving up one's principles is the work of God(brainwashing young men for the work of God is a reflection of this trend).Maupassant makes us realise that no matter how far we go and what tools we have...when stripped down to desparate situations and bare essentials we are all the same. If you want to read 'Boule De Suif' goto, this link at ReadPrint. They have the most generous collection of stories and novels online. 

 Legitimized love always despises its easygoing brother--Boule De Suif