Des Esseintes' Infatuation with Artifice in Huysmans' Against Nature
In J.-K Huysmans Against Nature, Des Esseintes rebels against his family, religion, and Parisian society to establish an identity unique to himself. He perceives this rejection of the truistic self as the development of individuality when, in actuality, it is only a self deriving from his reaction to the overstimulated public. By decorating his abode with eccentric objects, he falsely believes that he can detach himself from the common populace. When he finds new objects to focus upon, he is able to depose his emotions and instill them within the object. Des Esseintes wants to be a rare individual; through his bizarre purchasing and decorum he thinks he is his own self. As Des Esseintes becomes more and more neurotic, the objects start to drain life out of him and begin to take on a life of their own. Through this exchange of energy, Esseintes hopes to obtain distinct persona that is independent from mass society’s. His perversion and manipulation of natural objects reflect his need to create a fantasy world, an unrealistic world where he can escape from the harsh realities of his childhood and will be “unspoilt by rampaging Parisians”1. This retreat can only last so long before Des Esseintes realizes that he cannot survive without being a part of society; he returns to Parisian life as a way of fleeing his past as well as avoiding his own apparent afflictions that will melt away when he conforms to society’s standards.
In response to living a desensitized Parisian lifestyle and a monotonous upbringing, Des Esseintes creates ideal settings that stimulate his “overfatigued senses”2. Des Esseintes is born into a family which had been inbred. This ...
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...ermarry, his interaction with Parisians, and because of his religious background. The city provides him with an atmosphere of comfort because he doesn’t have to make his own decisions, the mass public does that for him. In the city he has the comfort of direction. Therefore, he looks to the public and Parisian society to help define and construct one simple mass identity.
Notes
1. Huysmans, J.-K., Against Nature, trans. Robert Baldick (New York: Penguin Books, 1959). 24.
2. Huysmans, 23.
3. Huysmans, 17.
4. Huysmans, 24
5. Huysmans, 18.
6. Huysmans, 26.
7. Ibid.
8. Huysmans, 21.
9. Huysmans, 23; 27.
10. Huysmans, 31.
11. Huysmans, 39.
12. Huysmans, 38; 36.
13. Huysmans, 32.
14. Huysmans, 37.
15. Huysmans, 27.
16. Huysmans, 63.
17. Huysmans, 66.
18. Huysmans, 67.
19. Ibid.
20. Huysmans, 68.
21. Huysmans, 30.
The Outsider characters Edward and Raphael from the movie ‘Edward Scissorhands’ and the novel ‘Trash’ change their bland and featureless environments by providing creativity and ambition to the locals. Edward is an Outsider by his appearance while Raphael is an Outsider by poverty. Their communities express kindness to them both. Both individual characters do not act in the way the inhabitants of the society or slum. This is positive for the community and the creativity of the Outsiders change their
This extract emphasises the lonely, outworld feeling that would have been felt living in such settings. This puts into perspective the feeling that will be felt during the coarse of the plot development.
Maupassant, Guy De. “An Adventure in Paris”. The Norton Anthology of Short Fiction. Cassill, RV. New York: Norton & Company, Inc. 2000. 511-516 Print.
“Albert Camus is one of the most likeable and approachable of the mid-twentieth-century French authors” (Brosman 10).This is quite a compliment for Camus, but most would agree. In France, Albert is known for his many books, two which have made the French best-sellers list. His works are often read and studied in French secondary-school class rooms, introducing a countless number of students to his pieces each year. Camus also holds the high honor of receiving the Nobel Prize for literature in 1957 (Boak 346). His wide popularity has made his name known in North America as well. Just what is Albert Camus so popular for one might ask? The answer would be his approach to his work— the underlying beliefs of Existentialism or the theory of the absurd that characterizes his pieces (Wyatt 1).1 All of Camus’ works incorporate this strong sense of the individual having freedom of choice, and thus complete control over his own outcome. He acknowledges no help or control from higher powers, just simply focuses on the individual; consequently, creating a sense of alienation. Albert Camus’ attraction to and his use of Existential beliefs began from his own life circumstances.
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The relationship shared by Pierre and Helene is best described as a lustful charade. It is no coincidence that Pierre, one of the most introspective characters in the novel, first marries a shallow, inwardly-ugly adulterer. His first recorded attitude towards Helene is one of admira...
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"Our Solar System: Galileo's Observations of the Moon, Jupiter, Venus and the Sun." Solar System Exploration: Science & Technology: Science Features: Our Solar System: Galileo's Observations of the Moon, Jupiter, Venus and the Sun. NASA, n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2014. .
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