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Literary Devices
Definition of Allusion
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to other literary works, famous individuals, historical events, or philosophical ideas... read full definition
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to other literary works, famous individuals... read full definition
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to... read full definition
Chapter 1
Explanation and Analysis—Jean Audran:
Near the beginning of the story, the narrator describes Madame Aubain’s house, alluding to the artist Jean Audran in the process:
The two end panels of this bookcase were covered in line drawings, landscapes in gouache and etchings by Audran, a reminder of better days and of more expensive tastes that were now a thing of the past. On the second floor was Félicité's bedroom, lit by a dormer window which looked out over the fields.
Jean Audran was a well-known 18th century engraver and printmaker from France. As an engraver, he would copy famous paintings by other French (and Italian) artists. The art that he produced was very accurate and often quite expensive. That Madame Aubain has multiple etchings by Audran up in her house signals that, at one time, her family had access to wealth. That said, the narrator states that Audran’s pieces are “a reminder of better days and of more expensive tastes that were now a thing of the past.” In other words, since acquiring Audran's work, the Aubain family has shifted from an upper-class status to a middle-class one.
This moment is also notable because it juxtaposes the glamour of the Aubain home as a whole with Félicité’s humble quarters. She does not have art on the walls and has a single “dormer window” (which are often quite small). Despite the difference in Madame Aubain and Félicité’s class experiences, Félicité—in many ways—has a more joyful life than her employer. This is because she is not seeking to perform a certain type of class status and can instead focus her life on helping others and practicing her faith.
Related Themes:
Chapter 3
Explanation and Analysis—Ursuline Convent:
In Chapter 2, Flaubert alludes to the presence of Ursuline convents in France in the 19th century:
Madame Aubain wanted the best possible education for her daughter and, because Guyot was unable to teach her either English or music, she resolved to send her to the Ursuline convent school in Honfleur.
Here, the narrator explains how Madame Aubain decides to send Virginie to “the Ursuline convent school in Honfleur.” The Ursulines were a religious order of Catholic nuns whose primary focus—particularly in France—was to educate young girls. Most of the young women who attended school at the Ursuline convents came from middle-class backgrounds as their families had to pay for their attendance.
It is notable that Virginie ends up getting sicker and dying while attending school at the convent. This is one of the many subtle ways that Flaubert highlights how access to wealth does not guarantee happiness. Madame Aubain sends Virginie away because it was expected that women of her class position would want “the best possible education for her daughter,” and yet she doesn’t stop to think about what would be best for Virginie’s health and well-being. In many ways, the working-class Félicité lives the happiest life of anyone in the story, as she is not striving to prove her worth by society's rigid standards.
Related Themes:
