Short Fiction · Chapter
II: The Heroine explained
Félicité begins her service for Madame Aubain, caring for her children Paul and Virginia.
What happens
Félicité begins her service for Madame Aubain, caring for her children Paul and Virginia. She adapts to her new life, finding happiness despite her initial anxiety. The chapter depicts her daily routines, interactions with visitors like the Marquis de Grémanville and Monsieur Bourais, and her heroic confrontation with a bull to protect the family. The incident leads to Virginia's nervous condition and a trip to Trouville for saltwater bathing.
Themes in this chapter
Class and Social Hierarchy
Félicité's position as a servant is contrasted with the gentility of Madame Aubain and her visitors, highlighting class distinctions.
Suffering and Endurance
Félicité endures her past sadness and the bull attack with quiet heroism, embodying endurance.
Characters to notice
- Félicité
Begins service for Madame Aubain, cares for the children, and heroically protects the family from a bull.
- Madame Aubain
Hires Félicité, manages the household, and is rescued from the bull by Félicité.
- Paul
Seven-year-old son of Madame Aubain, sent to college at Caën.
- Virginia
Four-year-old daughter, develops a nervous condition after the bull incident.
- Monsieur Bourais
Retired lawyer who manages Madame Aubain's estates and gives the children an engraved geography.
- The Marquis de Grémanville
Ruined uncle of Madame Aubain who visits at dinnertime with his poodle.
Key passages
“she packed all her belongings in a handkerchief and started for Pont-l’Evêque”
She gathered her few possessions and set off for Pont-l’Evêque.
Félicité leaves the farm to seek new employment.
“Félicité turned around and threw patches of grass in his eyes. He hung his head, shook his horns and bellowed with fury.”
Félicité threw clumps of grass at the bull's eyes, causing him to pause and bellow in anger.
Félicité's brave defense against the bull.