Madame Bovary Interactive Oral Reflective Statement We came into the discussing thinking the book Madame Bovary

arguing that this book was scandalous because of its sexual references and act of violence. But as is in most cases, this idea just barely scraped the surface of it. Its scandal lied not in the direct actions itself but rather in its motivations. It was not this desire for wealth and more than her means (which we decided already was a natural trait or fatal flaw instilled inside every human being) that was the root of all things, it was her feeling of despair. What is it to have the ability to set yourself free from all constraints? Because she is unable to save herself from a life discontent she hopes a new man, with means can save her by offering her security and stability might fill this void. When nothing, not even a man could rid of her depression she then decided suicide is the only answer. In short, it was risky business to have a novel written in France in the 1840s to address the issue of human dissatisfaction and suicide, and it was for this reason that Madame Bovary was so criticized. Another idea we discovered upon discussion was that the stereotype of true love was present. Society thrusts it upon women that the only way they can achieve happiness, safety, and social security is by procuring a suitable human being; also, that their worth lies only in their ability to attract others enough to engage in sexual relations. Emma is described as a reader of romance novels, enticed by the idea of being wooed or swept off her feet by the man of her dreams. This stereotype the main key factor as to why Emma turned out the way she did. Not only does this stereotype pertain to the book, we discovered, but also to our society today. People are enticed by books such as Twilight, which emphasize a dominant male helping the damsel in distress and the idea that the woman is nothing without the man. Emmas experiences in a novel written in the 1840s arent so different than the ideas in our entertainment today. This conclusion was something that had not been for the interactive oral I never would have thought about.