If anyone were to ask who the best foreign writers of short and medium stories in modern times were, I would not hesitate to nominate the famous French writer Maupassant; if I were to ask which of Maupassant's works I liked the most, I would be obligated to nominate his excellent masterpiece, "Ball of Mutton Fat".
In the summer of 1879, the 29-year-old Maupassant and four other young writers gathered at the Villa of Meitang in the French writer Zola, and each of them wrote a short story set in the Franco-Prussian War, which was collected and published in a collection of works "Meitang Night". After the publication of the collection of novels, Maupassant's novella "Lamb Fat Ball" immediately caused a sensation in the literary world, establishing Maupassant's position in the French literary world.
In his lifetime, Maupassant wrote more than 350 novellas and was hailed as one of the world's three great masters of short stories. The novella "Ball of Mutton Fat" is the pinnacle of Maupassant's novel creation, which has been widely praised and praised, reaching artistic heights that are difficult for later writers to reach.
<h1 class="pgc-h-decimal" data-index="01" > the master of fiction who hides behind fiction—a novelist who hides his thoughts and ideas in words</h1>
An important feature of Maupassant's novels, under the profound influence of his teacher Flaubert, is:
Always do not mix the author's personal emotional color, always maintain a calm and objective, slightly black humor tone, try to avoid using subjective judgment words to describe events and characters, so that readers in the unconscious reading, moisturizing silently feel the author's value orientation and moral judgment, in a strong sense of substitution, appreciate the charm of the work, subtly accept, feel the enlightenment of the work.
The novel is set in the famous Franco-Prussian War of 1870 and begins with the french city of Rouen being fully occupied by Prussian troops. (Note: In the novel, the Prussian Army is also called the German Army)
As an ordinary soldier who personally participated in the war, Maupassant witnessed not only the repeated routs of the French army, the heroic resistance of the people at the bottom, but also the incompetence of the two French governments controlled by the upper echelons of the French government, who constantly cut up the land and paid compensation, betrayed the country and sought glory, and made a bitter satire on the traitorous face of the French upper class in his letters with friends.
It can be seen that Maupassant obviously has his own unique insight and in-depth thinking about the defeat of the war and the social form of the various classes in France in the face of the war.
However, in this work, we do not seem to see the author's subjective exposure and ridicule of the characters, or the open words of appreciation, between the lines. However, through the author's objective and calm brushstrokes, we can clearly feel the timidity and moral hypocrisy of the French upper class in the face of the invaders, as well as the strong patriotism and tenacious will to resist of a lower-class woman.
This kind of writing method of hiding itself and being objective and natural respects the reader's ability to judge and think independently, not only does not weaken the expressiveness of the work, but greatly enhances the authenticity, appeal and persuasiveness of the work, so that the reader is convinced to find his own interpretation in the "facts seen".
This unique writing characteristic inherited from the literary master Flaubert, under the development of Maupassant, has influenced the literary creation style of several generations, and still exudes an evocative literary charm, which is worthy of our careful taste and repeated reference.
In a letter to his teacher Flaubert, Maupassant said: "The fair description of war prompts the reader to think deeply about war. "Maupassant has done just that with his excellent work.
<h1 class="pgc-h-decimal" data-index="02" > ingenious structural design, and the irony is extremely spicy</h1>
As an excellent French critical realist writer, Maupassant continued in this work the style of the novel's profound themes, satire and reality. Among them, the ingenious storyline conception has played an excellent role in highlighting this style.
The novel cleverly compresses the context of the story into an fleeing carriage and a few days of travel, so that travelers of different classes and identities have to make difficult choices in a tight time and space, under the threat of the invaders. Greatly enhances the drama of the story and the contradictions and conflicts of the characters.
Through a twisting and turning storyline, the novel allows a group of high-society characters to repeatedly change their contradictory faces according to the needs of their own interests, portraying their selfish, utilitarian and chameleon-like faces into three points and nowhere to hide. Thus fully exposing the most secret and true face of human nature, so that the critical significance and satirical effect of the novel jumped on the paper.
Let's start by tracking down the novel's exciting plot.
On a snowy morning, 10 Frenchmen gathered in a carriage on an improvised basis, intending to flee through the Prussian enemy-occupied area to a French port.
Among the people in the car were Mr. and Mrs. Bird, a scheming wine wholesaler; Mr. and Mrs. Ramadon, a generous textile tycoon and a member of the provincial council; and the noble old gentleman, the count of Breville, a member of the provincial council; two stodgy nuns and a politician known as the "democrat", Mr. Gaunodai;
The last one is the important protagonist of this article, a fat beauty with a good appearance, a prostitute lady with a mutton fat ball. She had to flee Rouen after beating up Prussian soldiers who had broken into her home without permission.
Of the 10 people, these couples, politicians, and holy nuns from the business and political circles, representing the powerful and powerful, are all socially admired, status and cultured upper class. Only the lamb fat balls come from the bottom of society and do less decent work.
In the carriage, the ladies from the upper class were contemptuous and dismissive of the prostitutes who engaged in "inferior" work.
Yet the tiring journey is so long that in the face of not being able to buy even a loaf of bread along the way, the abundant blue food brought by the lamb fat ball makes a cart of hungry people salivate. At the warm invitation of the mutton fat ball, a car of people successively put down their noble faces and reserved figures, pounced on it, and swept away a basket of delicacies.
Thus, the people who enjoyed the food began to change their faces, treated the humble lamb fat ball with courtesy, and in the chat, by the way, praised her patriotic feat of heroic fighting with the Prussian soldiers who broke into the house.
However, the group was in big trouble in the town where they were resting on the way. The Prussian officers guarding the town salivated at the appearance of the ball of mutton fat, and wanted her to sleep with her for one night, otherwise no car would be allowed to let her go. The officer's rude request was flatly rejected by the ball of mutton fat.
A cartload of people first hated the enemy and condemned the shameless Prue soldiers in unison, showing the "great national righteousness" that they deserved. Over time, however, the anxiety of waiting spread, and the initial anger towards the Prussians gradually turned into a "grudge" towards the balls of mutton fat. "This kind of thing is really nothing to her", which has become an unspoken thought in everyone's heart. Then, the idea that "this bitch is bothering everyone" gradually prevailed.
The noble ladies began to complain about this "little prostitute" who was full of people, and when she needed to get rid of the predicament for everyone, she actually "twisted and twisted", and the vulgar Mr. Bird actually suggested that the lamb fat ball "this cheap goods" be bundled up and offered to the enemy. The words from Lady Bird seemed to impress everyone even more: "Since this girl is doing this, why should she refuse this one?" "
So, in order to get out of the predicament and force the mutton fat ball to obey, the crowd formed a unanimous persuasion alliance. The noble ladies began to talk endlessly in front of the lamb fat ball, and the stories of women sacrificing their flesh and sacrificing their virginity in order to defend their families and defend their country were so touching.
At the same time, the graceful and benevolent Count of Breville, according to the agreed plan, took up the arm of the ball of mutton fat and began the established long stroll. Words of encouragement and gratitude are so heartfelt. And the religious rhetoric that the two nuns intentionally or unintentionally revealed about "as long as the intention is bright and upright, nothing will anger God" is so touching.
There is no fierce contradiction and conflict, everyone plays the role of their own advice just right, so natural, so warm and appropriate, and the behavior of committing to the enemy is described so noblely. The tacit cooperation of everyone sparing no effort finally broke through the indestructible psychological defense line of the sheep fat ball and satisfied the desire of the German officers.
When, once the purpose had been achieved and the carriage could continue on its way, one of the men immediately changed its face, and everyone was disgusted and contemptuous of the ball of mutton fat that had been "defiled by the invaders", and avoided her from a distance. When a car of people began to enjoy their own food on the way, no one paid any attention to the balls of mutton fat that had been hurriedly boarded the car and did not bring any food, leaving her alone in the corner and choking and crying.
The story ends with the patriotic whistle of the democrat Gaunodai, and the "Marseillaise" whistle at this time, accompanied by tears of humiliating regret of the lamb fat ball, sounds so ironic.
Without any subjective praise and criticism, we read the author's spicy and sharp irony and clear praise and criticism in the repeated changes in the attitude of a group of upper-class people to the lamb fat ball.
<h1 class="pgc-h-decimal" data-index="03" > vivid character portrayal, the contrast between noble and despicable images</h1>
Based on the fascinating plot, accompanied by vivid and delicate character portrayals, it has always been a major feature of Maupassant's novels.
In the novel, Maupassant first uses thick brush and ink to vividly and vividly shape the ball of mutton fat, the image of a prostitute from the bottom of society, which strongly shows the character characteristics of the characters who love and hate clearly, and the character characteristics of evil and hatred, as well as the simple patriotic feelings, kindness and authenticity of human nature that emanate.
In the face of the Forced Entry prussian soldiers, the mutton fat ball could not control the anger of the invaders, and without hesitation, pounced on it and almost strangled a soldier to death; in response to the shameless "sleeping" request made by the Prussian officer, the sheep fat ball repeatedly expressed an angry refusal, and shouted to the innkeeper" "You go and say to the rogue stinking hooligan, I will never agree!" The roar of the angry shows a strong rebellious character and a strong sense of self-esteem of a lower-class prostitute.
In the face of the politician Mr. Gaunodai's demand for sex trafficking in the hotel, the mutton fat ball also chose to categorically refuse, on the grounds that the front and back rooms may be inhabited by Prussians, and she was not willing to let the French be looked down upon by the invaders at the moment.
In the eyes of the lamb fat ball, her profession and flesh may be lowly, but in the face of the invaders, her body and personality are noble, representing the sanctity and inviolability of France.
Such a strong and indomitable woman, under the constant inducement and persuasion of the crowd, out of goodness and authenticity, out of consideration for the safety of others, had to be forced to painfully agree to the shameless demands of the German army. However, her kindness was exchanged for the ruthless face-turning and shameful contempt of a car of people.
Through the portrayal of the character of the lamb fat ball, the novel invisibly praises the character characteristics of a low-level prostitute, who has a clear love and hatred, and is fierce as a fire, as well as the strong sense of resistance and national self-esteem shown in the face of the invaders in the face of national disasters.
In contrast, the author uses sharp brushstrokes to reveal the hypocrisy, selfishness, and timidity of a group of noble and upper-class people in front of the enemy army. In addition to their ugly appearance, they also have their own strengths in personality.
The arrogant and conceited politician Mr. Gao Nudai, along the way, constantly expressed his sense of justice and patriotism, and posed in front of the German army with a domineering posture. However, in the dark carriage that fled, he could not help but extend a shameful salty pig hand to the mutton fat ball; after arriving at the hotel where he was staying, he ignored the embarrassment of a car of people being detained by the German army, and actually sneaked out of the door in the middle of the night to ask for a sex transaction with the lamb fat ball.
Gao Nudai witnessed the whole process of the crowd pushing the ball of mutton fat into the water, but pretended to turn a blind eye. After the crowd won the hand, in order to show hypocritical justice, the dead sheep stood up and scolded the crowd for being "shameless". In the carriage that continued to move forward, he leisurely ate his own boiled eggs and enjoyed the fruits of the body exchanged by the mutton fat balls, while together with the crowd, he ignored the "defiled" lamb fat balls. The highest state of hypocrisy is this.
Mr. Bird, a treacherous wine wholesaler with an active personality, despite the difficulties of the country, went all the way to sell his inferior wines. In the collective action of pushing the lamb fat ball into the water, he constantly jumped up and down, gaged and joked, and enjoyed it. After the goal was achieved, he actually held up champagne and proposed "Toast to our liberation!" Under the cheerful face, it is difficult to hide the degeneration of the moral bottom line.
Two devout, ascetic, expressionless nuns, in order to achieve the purpose of self-preservation, skillfully assisted at key moments, and extremely "excellent" with the tricks of the upper gentlemen and ladies to push people into the water. Afterwards, he pretended to be indifferent to himself, cold-bloodedly involved in the collective contempt for the lamb fat ball, and the inner selfishness and cold-bloodedness could not be concealed under the cloak of religion.
The proud member of the provincial council, who represented the top figures of French high society, the textile tycoon Monsieur Ramadon, and the noble gentleman Count Breville, were undemeasured and undefeated by the obscenity of the enemy. In order to protect himself, he did not hesitate to lower his dignity and dignity, and he pretended to be an elder with an identity and participated in the shameless cajoling of a low-level prostitute.
Lady Ramadon, who looked forward to the wind and autumn water, actually regretted that she was not favored by the handsome Prussian officers, and reduced herself to a slut with no integrity...
In a limited space, the spiritual "nobility" of the "lowly" and the spiritual inferiority of the noble are displayed at a glance. The disparity in the status of the two sides and the high level of moral character have formed a strong contrast. Which one is more windy, self-explanatory. The spicy irony, the deep exploration of human nature, immersed in the words and lines, make the reader sigh in the enjoyment of reading.
<h1 class="pgc-h-decimal" data-index="04" > a permanent aftertaste, precious literary value</h1>
In this work, the characters are vivid and the storyline is vivid, which profoundly reveals the spiritual outlook of the French characters of all walks of life during the Franco-Prussian War, the different attitudes towards the invaders, and the true humanity in contradictions and conflicts. It shows the novel master Maupassant's in-depth insight and analysis of society and characters and his literary skills.
When we finish reading this excellent novella and covering up the long thoughts, those vivid and vivid characters seem to still be active in front of our eyes; the artistic charm of the novel also makes us reminisce endlessly and linger for a long time.