A. Maupassant's "Ball of Fat" = "Boule de Suif" 1-31]

1. pp. 1-4] Here development occurs within the exposition. In what sense?

2. 1-4] Do you know of any similar situations in our century?

3. 1-4] What seems to be the author's view of the Prussians?

4. 5-7] Characterize each passenger.

5. 6-8] What seem to be the political camps among group members?

6. 5-10] Do you know any stories/movies about strangers confined together in a small space (e.g., hotel, ship, plane, bus, course)? If so, note any similarities.

7. 8-11] Do you know any good feast scenes a] in the Bible? b] in other lit.? What does this one (feast #1) reveal?

8. p. 11] Find examples of the narrator distancing himself from the characters (--this page only).

9. 12]f When does the fun end?

10. 14f Compare this feast to feast #1.

11. 16] What does Loiseau do here? Find 2 examples of humor.

12. 18] + before--What is the role of beverages?

13. 19] What might be the cause of the delay (known so far)?

14. 20] + before-- Are the Prussians barbarians?

15. 20] + before--Look for acoustic imagery (sounds as description).

16. 22-28] What do arguments reveal about the arguers?

17. 28] + before--Find parallels to Kleist's "Earthquake."

18. 29]f What does this feast (#4) tell us?

19. 29-31] What's missing?

20. Gen--Parallels to any German stories? 21. Gen--Please read this twice.
 

B. Maupassant’s "The Necklace."

1. 31]f-What is the exposition? What seems to be the narrator’s attitude towards the wife? ... the husband?

2. 34]+ Find fairy tale elements.

3 35] on--Does the couple deserve their fate? Why/not?

4. 38] & before--What have we learned about social classes?

5. Gen--The moral?...
 

C. "Madame Tellier's Establishment" pp. 43-63]

1. 44] "Madame" is sympathetically drawn, but still the narrator makes fun of her. How?

2. 45]f Compare the "staff" to the passengers in"Boule..."

3. 48] Examples of humor here?

4. 54] + before--regarding Maupassant's peasants: What's typical for Maupassant's small town folk?

5. 56]f Is Rosa's weeping funny? Why (not)?

6. 55-58] Like Kleist & Balzac, the author uses culture in the story. How?

7. 58-60] Does Maupassant seem to condemn Rivet?

8. ch.III & gen---In drama or music, this section would be called the denouement, the gradual return to normalcy (or to "middle C") after the dramatic climax. What was the dramatic climax? Has anyone/anything changed? Speaking of musical keys, "Boule..." & "Mme Tellier..." are in different keys. In what sense?
 

D. "Mademoiselle Fifi" pp. 63-72]

1. 63]f Note unusual features of "Fifi."

2. 63]f Who altered the paintings? Why?

3. 66] Why is there an explosion?

4. 67] Who resists the Prussians? How?

5. 68]f The eve. starts conventionally--for GdM. Signs of trouble?

6. 70-72] In what sense is this story-a. outdated? -b.relevant?

7. Gen--Find examples of loose ends being tied up, //'s to other stories. Where do you rank it among GdM's stories?
 

Return to FL 209 syllabus
8 Jan 2001