Émile Zola Collection: The Kill (La Curée) - Chapter II

[Zulfiya]

This thread is to discuss the trials and tribulations of Aristide Rougon in Chapter II.

[Zulfiya]

Zola moves seamlessly between the narrative present and the narrative past. This chapter discloses some quite 'unsavory' moments of Aristide's wealth.

1. In this chapter we meet Aristide's older brother, our old acquaintance, Eugene Rougon. Is his image consistent with the character from the novel Son Excellence Eugène Rougon?

2. How can you explain the transformation that happened to Aristide?

3. How does Renee feel about the scheme to marry her away to Rougon to conceal her pregnancy?

4. We know that Aristide had two children, but so far, we are only introduced to his daughter. Why do you think Zola postpones the introduction of a younger Maxime into the novel?

5. Eugene and Aristide's sister also plays a significant role in the chapter? Why does Zola need Sidonie in the novel?

In my opinion, the flashback was fascinatingly repulsive. Aristide turned into a rapacious dealer who is not afraid to cheat or feign documents, neither is he scrupulous enough and he is more than willing to accept the guilt for impregnating Renee just to obtain money from her aunt. Money is definitely more important than his reputation. The chapter did make me feel queasy ...

[Robin P, Moderator]

It's interesting that Zola chose to tell this as a flashback. We were wondering how Aristide changed so much and this is supposed to explain it. I thought his duplicity was realistic, but it's hard to believe he could fit in so well with society and know how to please and manipulate people in a relatively short time. His sister had spent years doing it, maybe she was needed to explain how he got access to some important people.

I thought Aristide might "help" his wife die once he had the plan for a new marriage. The presence of the daughter while her mother was dying reminded me of Florence Dombey.

It's intriguing to see the description of the "grands boulevards" which were not universally loved, rather seen as chopping up the city. That also reminded me of Dombey where Dickens deplores the tearing up of London to accommodate the railroad.

[Zulfiya]

It does have a flashback, but it took me a while to understand that it is a flashback. There is not even a slight hint that we are reading a flashback. A reader has to figure it out. Demanding Zola:-)

[Robin P, Moderator]

There's a famous scene at the end of Pere Goriot by Balzac where the young hero Eugene, who started out innocent but has learned a lesson, looks out at Paris and says something like "Watch out, it's between you and me now". Zola must have known that scene. Aristide does the same thing but in a more calculating manner.

[Jennifer]

I think Aristide's manipulative and corruptible nature is Zola making a case for naturalism. Rougon, especially Felicite's, blood runs in Aristide's and he's witnessed the same manipulation in his parents' drawing room in Plassans that resulted in their gaining power and stature. He did the same thing in Paris.

Robin, I love your observation on the parallelism between Aristide and Balzac's Eugene Rastignac. The scene where Aristide was "cutting up" Paris recalled to me that end scene of Pere Goriot.