How Does Flaubert Create A Decline In A Simple Heart

In Gustave Flaubert’s story, A Simple Heart, the character of Felicite has a vacillating life in regards to love and life. Felicite’s life can be more readily viewed as a decline, which can be best seen when examining the objects of her affection. From going to a lover, who is a man which would have been an appropriate match, to a stuffed parrot, the reader can examine the gradual decline of Felicite’s life as the object of her affection changes, as well as her status of grieving for the lost one. In her younger years, Felicite falls in love with a local boy who, after forcing himself on her, the young man pursued a relationship with her. During her first love story, she is regarded as having some sort of intelligence when it comes to love …show more content…
After a visit from her nephew, Felicite becomes obsessed with the younger boy. Her mind becomes preoccupied with thoughts of her nephew. She notes how handsome he is becoming with age as she starts to take in his appearances more and more. Flaubert states, “He was growing quite handsome with his trim figure, his little moustache, his frank open eyes, and the little leather cap that he wore on the back of his head like a pilot,” (page 793). No stranger to devastating news, Felicite becomes grief stricken when she hears that her new object of affection will be travelling overseas. It is noted that the day she found out he was going on this voyage was a day that she never forgot. The boy was to be away from two years, a thought would upset Felicite a great deal. In the days after the nephew’s departure, the reader can once again see the subject of all Felicite’s thoughts have returned to her current lover interest. Flaubert explains, “From then on Felicite thought of nothing but her nephew. On Sunny days she hoped he was not too thirsty, and when there was a storm she was afraid he would be struck by lightning,” (page 794). Once she learned her nephew had succumbed and passed away from yellow fever she draws inwardly, refusing to see the parents of the boy. Flaubert says, “His parents had always treated him cruelly. She preferred not to see them …show more content…
Felicite loses a little bit of her sanity with each new subject of admiration she encounters. Her life can be more readily viewed as a tragedy rather than a triumph because of the multitudes of loss she had to endure. Finally, in the end, she ends up on her death bed alone. It is also noted that as she was on the verge of death, she believed to have seen a parrot. “And as she breathed her last, she thought she could see, in the opening heaven a gigantic parrot hovering above her head,” (page 807). This can also point to her life on earth not being what she wanted on it anymore and her being ready to enter Heaven with her beloved parrot, where she could be