Comment by Sandra on pages 27-65

I'll start off by saying that I am really enjoying Madame Bovary. It is easy to read and the interesting characters make it a 'page turner'. I think that there is more of a focus on characters and character development in this book then on plot and spectacle. The plot is basically Charles growing up, refusing to go school, still ending up as a docter, getting married and loosing his wife, and then getting married again. Not really out of the ordinary. However, characters such as Charles and his wives for example are intriguing. After reading, I remember more clearly Charles feelings described for Emma then what he was spending his time doing when he decided to drop out off school. There is a focus on characters' feelings and that makes it interesting to read for me. I also like it because it is so realistic; feelings and events are not idealized or romanticized. It even goes to the point that when the books talks about Emma’s idea’s about romance and passion it creates this huge contrast to her reality, making reality seem harsh and cold. I am really looking forward to reading more about what’s going to happen between Emma and the recently introduced Marquis d’andervilliers. I’m hoping that some of Emma’s dream from the convent days will come true because no matter how much I enjoy the realistic aspect of this novel, I wouldn’t mind a little romance for one of the Madame Bovary’s. In the beginning, I thought that Charles mother, the strong female of the family, would be Madame Bovary but now with the other female characters I reconsidered that option.
Another thing I noticed, perhaps a very small detail, was one paragraph on page 64. “In the avenue between the trees a green light filtered by the foliage lit up the moss that was gently crackling under her feet.” Here, Emma sees a green light while walking trough the forrest and it reminded me of the scene in The Great Gatsby where Gatsby himself sees a green light while staring in the direction of Daisy’s house. This made me wonder about possible symbolism in this book, since green is very symbolic in the Great Gatsby, and symbolism in Romantic novels. I haven’t noticed any symbolism yet but I would like to know what you, Larissa and Nicole, think about this topic.