Bel-Ami, Guy de Maupassant, narrative techniques, character development, social class, 19th century French literature, realism, literary analysis
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Abstract
Analysis of excerpts from Guy de Maupassant's Bel-Ami, exploring narrative techniques and character development.
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[...] He does not feel at ease at first. As he goes up the stairs, he even finds himself ridiculous. It is by seeing himself in a mirror that this changes. He then gains confidence in himself and wants to seduce. / The comparison that allows us to understand the codes of high society is the difference in quality of cut of the valet's costume. / Duroy enters a high-society environment. In fact, he is first greeted by a concierge (which is only found in bourgeois buildings), then by the apartment's valet to which he is going. [...]
[...] The author inserts physical description passages of the character, while remaining consistent with the action's framework. For example, we talk about the women who observe Georges Duroy, and through the gaze they cast on him, it allows us to move on to the descriptive passage. / The narrative point of view is omniscient. In fact, the narrator tells the scene in an external way, but the reader has access to the character's thoughts. We can thus read 'he thinks that meals . [...]
[...] He takes care of his physical appearance (he wears a costume), has a proud attitude because he doesn't push himself in the street. He is a very ambitious character. Text 2 : What elements of the setting play a crucial role? What are Duroy's feelings? What comparison allows us to understand the codes of high society? What clues distinguish Duroy from the social class into which he is about to enter? In this passage, we can note elements of the setting that allow us to contextualize the scene. We know that the character enters a bourgeois building. [...]
