Flaubert's Misconceptions

because she feels attached to his lack of success (as observed in the second fireplace scene where she expressed this sentiment about his failed surgery on Hippolyte); thus, by attaching herself to other men (which fit her misconception), she establishes the illusion of her own success. However, while at first Flaubert presents Emma as overjoyed with her affairs, in the end he shows that they reduce her to even less than what she was before, such as when she feels subjugated to Rodolphe. Flaubert utilizes her repeated failures to achieve happiness in these extramarital ventures to comment on the cost of the false ideals established by the French community in his time. Similarly, Charles’ oversimplified perception of what love should be leaves

Finally, Flaubert warns that individuals that base their expectations for love on what they have consumed from media, will not only be unsatisfied with their romantic relationships, but also be incapable of establishing a relationship of any kind. This idea is exemplified through Emma’s interactions with Berthe and Felicite. While naturally a mother is expected to be maternal and loving, Emma views Berthe as a reminder of Charles’ failures, and thus, as a result her unrealistic expectation of love, Emma feels little connection to Berthe (such as when she cause Berthe to bleed because she attempts to crawl into Emma’s lap). Likewise, Emma’s failure to achieve success through her marriage leaves her to use Felicite, as an outlet, to create the illusion of her class within her home (as observed through her internal dialogue regarding how she would have Felicite maintain her house). These relationships develop Flaubert’s argument because, though they aren’t directly impacted by Emma’s false ideals, they are far from being healthy as a result her dissatisfaction with