Perception Of Reality In Madame Bovary By Gustave Flaubert

Perception is the manner in which one interprets a person, place, idea or thing. In this essay, I will be using the word perception in terms of interpreting reality. In Madame Bovary by the French author Gustave Flaubert, the protagonist, Emma Bovary’s perception of reality is effected by her experiences with the social class system. Emma Bovary is unhappy with her marriage to Charles, who is a middle class man, and proceeds to engage in affairs with men, such as Monsieur Rodolphe, who is from nobility. Emma values the aristocracy. She wants a higher social status than she has achieved in reality, and proceeds to pretend like she is, leaving her in debt. The social class system affected Emma’s perception of reality through how she†¦show more content†¦Flaubert skillfully represents her summary of thoughts within a few simple phrases. Emma’s perception of reality is that upper class men should be happy due to their wealth and their gender. Her perception is further altered after she attended the ball held by the Marquis d’Andervilliers. After Emma had a taste of the upper class, her lust for their lifestyle became heightened. Emma and Charles attend the ball held by the Marquis d’Andervilliers, one of Charles’ patients. Emma experiences her first close encounter with the upper class, which furthers her perspective that happiness is associated with wealth. During the ball, Flaubert describes the atmosphere of the ball and the effect it has on Emma, stating that â€Å"...in the dazzling splendor that now surrounded her, the memory of her past life, hitherto so vivid, began to fade away completely, and she almost doubted that she had ever lived it.† (pg 51) In the quotation, the author uses imagery to create an elegant atmosphere for the ball. He describes the scene beautifully, using words such as ‘dazzling’ and ‘splendor’ to influence the tone of the scene, which is euphoric. The feeling of euphoria is incited as Emma encounters her first ball. Throughout Flauberts description, the audience is able to interpret Emma’s perspective of reality while attend ing the function, which is an increase in her dislike for the life she lives and an inflation for her lust towards nobility. EmmaShow MoreRelatedEmphasis on Characters in Madame Bovary Essay examples1196 Words   |  5 Pages Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary masterfully explores the mid-19th century cultural scene, coloring the subject with his opinion. Through the book Flaubert lends insight into life in at the time, and imparts his opinions on the social world. He accomplishes these goals using the Bovary’s. Flaubert reevaluates characters through conflict, absence, juxtaposition, and selective thought examination to vilify the Bovary’s. 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