Boule de Suif

Summary

«Boule de Suif» is a story about a group of French citizens who are forced to leave their town of Rouen, occupied by the Prussians during the Franco-Prussian War. They set off on a journey in a stagecoach, among them wealthy bourgeois, nuns, and a young woman nicknamed Boule de Suif, known for her profession. Initially, the other passengers look down on her, but when they find themselves in a difficult situation, Boule de Suif shares her food with them. However, when a Prussian officer demands that Boule de Suif spend the night with him in exchange for permission to continue their journey, the other passengers pressure her to agree. After she complies, they begin to despise her again, forgetting her kindness. The story explores themes of hypocrisy, class prejudice, and the moral decline of society.