Cold, calculating, chilling...there's no other way to describe Th�r�se Raquin, by French writer �mile Zola. It is a novel to make you shiver from the thought of how cruel and controlling people can be. First published as Un Mariage d'Amour in 1867, our February Sunday Arts Section (SAS) Book choice is a study of cruel, heartless people who act for their own selfish gains.Zola sets the tone with an icy detachment from the characters he creates in this novel, set mostly in Paris in the 1860s. He exposes his characters for what they are without criticism or sympathy. It is difficult to sympathise with any character, yet it is even more difficult for readers to detach themselves from these riveting people who represent the worst in all of us.
Zola paints a portrait of a dysfunctional family who thrive on each other's negative energy and cruel intentions.At the heart of the story is a sickly young man named Camille, spoiled and pampered by his mother, who fools herself into believing that she is looking after her son's best interests. Instead, she engages in an emotionally incestuous relationship that feeds her insatiable appetite for control.Camille's mother, Madame Raquin, pulls Th�r�se into this dismal family of two by accepting the child, who is the daughter of her brother, a French captain, and an Algerian mother. Madame Raquin sets her sights on a goal: to marry Th�r�se to the pathetic, sickly, controlled Camille when she is 21.
As mother and son struggle for a sense of power, Th�r�se appears to be resigned to her dismal life. Everything changes when Camille insists the family move to Paris, where he is determined to get a job. Madame Raquin resists at first, but relinquishes the battle against the move when she determines how it can serve her best interest.Once in Paris, Camille meets an old friend, Laurent. His scandalous tales and leisurely life, courtesy of his father's money, appeal to Camille and Th�r�se in some warped way. Laurent is a user, and he uses people for his own pleasure. After a careful study of Th�r�se, he casually decides that he could have an affair with her whenever he wants. From here, the tale becomes more and more twisted.
�2 You can read Th�r�se Raquin free online at: http://ow.ly/t9T6y
�2 Download the novel free on Kindle or any electronic device that has a Kindle application or buy an audio version of this novel at audible.com (on amazon.com) where it is featured as an A-list performance narrated by Kate Winslet (of Titanic fame).
�2 In Secret, a movie version of Th�r�se Raquin, is due to be released in the US on February 21.
Discussion Questions
1. How does sickness define Camille's life?
2. How does Camille use his sickly nature to gain a sense of power?
3. How would you describe the relationship between Camille and his mother? Do you believe relationships like this exist between mothers and sons?
4. How does Madame Raquin use Camille's sicknesses to define her life?
5. Does Madame Raquin really care about her son?