Perception In Madame Bovary

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 where were also present during Flaubert 's time. Emma Bovary is unhappy with her marriage to Charles, who is a middle class man, and proceeds to engage in affairs with Monsieur Rodolphe of the upper class. Emma values the aristocracy and the lifestyle which it provides. She wants a higher social status than she has achieved in reality, and proceeds to pretend like she is of the upper class, leaving her in debt. The

Monsieur Rodolphe expresses his complaints of loneliness to Emma, and of how he has missed the opportunity to love, resulting in his unhappiness. If he had been able to find love, nothing would have stopped him from achieving it; however, he did not find love, which leads Emma to respond to Rudolphe "it seems to me you’re scarcely to be pitied." and then goes on to say "..., because, after all, you’re free…rich…" (Pg 136) Through this quotation, Flaubert portrays Emma in such a way so that the audience can easily interpret that Emma associates wealth and gender with the conquest of happiness. Emma views Monsieur Rodolphe, a rich man, as someone who should be happy due to his ideal gender and status in society. As a result of her perspective on his situation, she is unable to understand the origin of Monsieur Rodolphe’s unhappiness. Flaubert uses diction and structure in order to emphasize Emma’s point of view. The words used such as “ free” and “rich” emphasizes her perspective of the association of happiness with wealth. The pause Flaubert places between the words serves to show Emma’s thought process as she connects the words “feel” and “rich” to happiness. How can Monsieur Rodolphe be pitied or sorrowful when he is a rich man, free to do as he pleases, and spend however much money he would like? Flaubert

Both Emma and Charles attend the ball held by the Marquis d’Andervilliers who was one of Charles’ patients. Emma experiences her first close encounter with the upper class, which in turn furthers her perspective that wealth is associated with joy. During the ball, Flaubert uses imagery in order describe the atmosphere of the ball and its’ effect on Emma, stating that “...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, Flaubert creates an elegant atmosphere for the ball and describes the scene beautifully, using diction 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 Flaubert 's description, the audience is able to interpret Emma’s perspective while attending the function, which is an increase in her dislike concerning her life and an inflation of her lust towards nobility. Emma had begun to believe her past life on the farm, as a woman of the middle class, had faded away. Consequently, the ball allowed Emma to explore her potential as nobility, an honour which she has dreamed for since her days in the convent. Emma feels that she has been deprived of living life