November 27, 2010

The Immorality of Class Warfare

By Henry Oliner
"Boule de Suif" is a famous short story by French writer Guy de Maupassant about a group of passengers in a horse-drawn coach trapped behind Prussian lines during the Franco-Prussian War. The passengers include two nuns, an upper-class factory owner and his wife, a petty bourgeoisie couple who own a small shop, a politician, a wealthy aristocratic couple, and of course the prostitute named Elizabeth Rousset. The name "Boule de Suif" translates to "Bowl of Fat," a reference to the prostitute from a time when fat women were considered very attractive. Before their detention, the passengers enjoy each other's company, and the prostitute even shares a basket of food with her co-travelers. They realize that the Prussian officer is holding them until the attractive prostitute beds her captor. At first they support her refusal to submit, but over the period of captivity they rationalize why she should submit so they can all go free.  Ms. Rousset submits to...(Read Full Article)