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The “Boule de Suif” and Other Stories Community Note includes chapter-by-chapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you.
Written by Julia Wolf. "Boule de Suif" or (as translated) "The Dumpling" is a short story that leaves an extremely long-lasting impression. An ironic and witty style of writing of Guy de Maupassant is definitely a key-factor that makes this story memorable. The conflict he uses has been existing in literature from the very beginning, but it ...
Aug 5, 2014 · Maupassant’s early story “ Boule de Suif ,” from 1880, remains a hallmark and a natural starting point. It’s about a prostitute whose refrain, like Bartleby’s, is that she would prefer not to—in this case, a Prussian officer asks repeatedly for the pleasure of her intimate company, and she invariably denies him.
First published in April 1880, "Boule de Suif" is one of Guy de Maupassant's most famous and important short stories. The term "Boule de Suif" is most often translated to English as "Dumpling" but also sees the forms; "Butterball", "Ball of Lard", and "Ball of Fat." Boule de Suif is the plump female character pictured in the illustration below.
Wealth and Hypocrisy Theme Analysis. LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Boule de Suif, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Set during the Franco-Prussian war, Guy de Maupassant’s “Boule de Suif” depicts a group of French travelers who become stranded at a Prussian-occupied inn.
Boule de Suif is a short, perfectly round, fat little woman with plump, sausage-like fingers, shiny skin, and enormous breasts. Her face is reddish and round with black eyes and large lashes, a small mouth with nice lips, and tiny teeth. Boule de Suif carries herself with dignity and a freshness that makes her attractive and desirable.
The Inescapability of Social Class. Guy de Maupassant’s “Boule de Suif” presents a clear picture of the social inequality of French society at the time of the Franco-Prussian War. The main characters represent the various French social classes: the aristocracy (the count and countess), the bourgeoisie (the Loiseaus and Carré-Lamadons ...
